Interlude
by JenesisX
Summary: Avalanche takes a short break from saving the Planet to deal with a number of personal issues. Aeris/Sephiroth, Cid/Shera, Cloud/Tifa, and scenes for everyone else as well. Directly continues Irony of Fate, lots of drama and soul-searching.
1. Phase One: Family

_**Phase One: Family**_

((**Author's Note**: This fic is the 'break in the action' following my AU tale _Irony of Fate_. The team takes a three day break following the events that take place in that story, and this is what happens during that period. _Battlegrounds _is the next step ahead in the plotline once the group gets back together, and the actual sequel that advances the plotline. Enjoy! _~ JenesisX _))

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><p>Aeris was beaming as she descended the ladder from the Highwind and dropped to the ground near Elmyra's home, thrilled to have returned to the house she had lived in until recently and elated at having the chance to see her mother again after so long. Even though she was so excited she practically bounced with each step, she turned and forced herself to wait for her two companions as they, too, reached the ground.<p>

Barret was grinning, too, eager to see his daughter, who had been left in Elmyra's care for the last few months. He hurried down the flower-lined path and toward the house a moment later, looking as excited as Aeris felt. She still did not run forward as she wished to announce her surprise arrival, however, instead watching as Sephiroth gracefully reached the ground and turned to face her, looking far less than thrilled. Aeris frowned, the nervousness that colored her feelings about returning home instantly rising up within her at his expression. Not only was she returning home after running off with a rebel faction for the previous three months... but she had also come to introduce her mother to her new husband.

Aeris bit her lip, hundreds of different scenarios running through her head. She knew Elmyra would be shocked, and probably quite upset, but dearly hoped her mother could accept how she felt about Sephiroth. But knowing how her mother felt about Shin-ra and SOLDIERs in general, and realizing Sephiroth's reputation would have definitely preceded him, she had a sinking feeling it wasn't going to be that easy. She missed her mother terribly, however, and wanted nothing more than for her to meet her husband and grow to love him for who he was just as she had. They had always been very close, and Aeris desperately wanted Elmyra to be a part of her new life. To that end, she was more than willing to struggle and sacrifice.

"Well... this is it," she said a bit breathlessly, looking up and offering Sephiroth a nervous smile. "Are you ready?"

"I... suppose so, if I must be," he said, sounding very tense and on his guard, as if he knew something unpleasant was about to happen. "Perhaps I... ought to wait out here. Allow you to talk to her first..."

Aeris frowned with worry, noting that Sephiroth actually seemed afraid. That was not the way she had hoped things would happen... but maybe, it made a lot more sense not to hit Elmyra with so much at once, and would give her a chance to explain things. It had been hard enough to convince him to even come with her instead of remaining on the Highwind by himself, but neither had been able to bear the thought of separation in the end. Even so, she did not want to push her luck or make him any more uncomfortable than he so obviously already was.

"If that's what you want to do, Seph," she said after a moment's thought, looking longingly at the house just ahead. "There's a bench just outside the house if you want to sit and wait. Maybe you're right... maybe it would be easier on her if I spoke to her alone first. You two are the most important people in the world to me... All I want is for you to get along."

Sephiroth nodded stiffly, and together, they walked down the path after Barret, the excited cries of a child reaching their ears a moment later.

"Daddy!"

A dark haired girl in yellow overalls rushed out the front door and leaped into Barret's arms, giggling as he effortlessly held her overhead before lowering her so he could kiss her forehead.

"Marlene!" he exclaimed with delight and a father's pride, hugging the child tight against him. "How are ya, baby? Have you been a good girl?"

"Yes!" she said, wrapping her thin arms around his neck. "Ms. Elmyra is a nice lady! She taught me how to sew, and make pancakes, and pot flowers!"

"That's wonderful, honey," Barret said, putting her down and fondly ruffling her hair. "Go and get your things now, Marlene. Daddy has a few days off, and we're gonna go on a trip!"

"REALLY?!" she squealed with delight, instantly taking off for the house. "Awesome!" She could be heard thudding up the stairs before long, yelling to Elmyra that her Daddy was home. The older woman soon appeared at the door, smiling warmly at Barret, not yet noticing her daughter and the man at her side in the distance.

"Barret! How are you? Marlene has missed you so much!"

"I'm good, thanks! An' you? She give you any trouble?"

Elmyra shook her head, still smiling. "Oh no, none at all. She's a doll."

Barret grinned proudly. "Good ta hear! Thanks so much for watchin' her. I don' know how ta repay you for dis..." He looked down awkwardly, the big, fearless man who took on an entire corporation and its army humbled by the generosity of one middle aged woman.

"Oh, don't be silly," Elmyra said with a chuckle. "Don't worry about it, Barret! It was nice to have the company."

"Mom!" Aeris couldn't hold back any longer, breaking into a run until she reached her mother, whose eyes were now wide with surprise as she looked from Barret to her daughter.

"Aeris!"

"Mom!" She threw her arms around Elmyra in a tight hug. "I'm home!"

"So I see! Thank the gods you're okay..."

Aeris released her a moment later, quickly looking her over. Elmyra was neatly dressed, as always, in a blouse and long skirt, as if she had been out to a fancy restaurant instead of home baby-sitting and gardening. Her hair was pulled neatly into a bun, not a strand out of place, and she was filled with an energy and vigor that made her seem much younger than her fifty-three years. Nothing had changed in the last few months as she had feared, and she grinned with delight.

"I'm so glad to be home... I'll explain everything as soon as we go inside. I have so much to tell you!" Aeris couldn't help but glance over her shoulder then, spotting Sephiroth still a ways up the path, arms folded, staring out into the distance and taking his time coming any closer. Elmyra noticed and followed her gaze, frowning in confusion when she noticed the dark figure.

"Who's that?" she asked, as if she thought she ought to know but could not recall, frowning as she struggled to place him.

"Oh... that's..." Aeris hesitated, swallowing nervously. "That's Sephiroth."

"Sephir- _the _Sephiroth? As in General Sephiroth of SOLDIER?" Elmyra gasped, studying him with wide eyes. Even if the name had not been so uncommon, he was such an impressive figure that he was unmistakable.

"Yeah..." Aeris answered, watching her mother's reaction warily. "He's been working with Avalanche."

"I thought he was dead. The papers and the news said so... that he died in a reactor explosion, what has it been now, four or five years ago?"

"Five. But that was a mistake. He was just missing for a while, because he... didn't want to be in SOLDIER any more after... what happened in that town," Aeris stumbled to explain, knowing she could not cover the details forever and not wanting to lie to her mother, but also that she needed more stable ground from which to start. Telling Elmyra that Sephiroth had gone insane and burned down the town, killing nearly everyone in it before falling into the Lifestream and floating North to serve an alien who spoke in his head was _not_ a good idea just then.

"Oh. I see..." Elmyra said uncertainly, still watching as Sephiroth remained in the distance, as if he did not plan to come any closer. Marlene rushed out of the house with a small suitcase then, instantly leaping back into her father's arms and interrupting the awkward conversation.

"Where are we going, Daddy?" she asked excitedly, dimples visible in her cheeks.

"Uncle Cid is gonna drop us off at da Gold Saucer before he goes home for a couple days," Barret said, looking proud of his planning. "So me and you can have some fun before Daddy has ta go back ta work."

"Yay!" Marlene exclaimed, thinking only of their upcoming trip and not his impending departure again.

"Umm... Elmyra... I," Barret began, clearing his throat. "Do you think... I could maybe... after dis trip..."

"Of _course_ you can bring her back," Elmyra replied instantly, finally tearing her eyes away from the distant General, beaming at the child she had come to love as a granddaughter as she held on to her father.

"Oh... wow... Thanks so much! I'll repay you someday," Barret said, clearly grateful and a bit flustered. "She'll be back in three days, den!" With a last wave, he turned and headed to where the Highwind still hovered, climbing up the ladder with his daughter riding piggyback.

As soon as they were safely on board, the vessel rose gracefully into the air and then moved forward, until it had completely disappeared from sight, heading West. Aeris watched it go, trying not to think of its departure as their last escape from impending doom. She briefly noticed that Sephiroth was watching too, probably thinking the same thing.

"You must be so tired, dear," Elmyra said, studying her daughter with worry. "You look _good_, though! Look at those muscles on you!"

Aeris giggled. "Being on a rebel team isn't as easy and glamorous as I thought it would be. But I'm _so_ glad I did this, Mom. We were able to accomplish so much, and I met so many wonderful people!"

"Well, come on inside and rest. I'll make you a nice cup of tea, and you can tell me all about it!"

"All right," Aeris said with a smile, glad that, so far, her mother did not seem mad at her, and was being her usual warm self. As she turned to follow her inside, Aeris paused and glanced back over her shoulder a bit longingly, wishing Sephiroth would join them and already missing having him close to her. Elmyra stopped and turned back to her, frowning again in confusion.

"Umm... doesn't your friend want to come in?" she asked, though she didn't sound thrilled with the prospect.

"He... Maybe later, Mom," Aeris said, unable to keep the worry out of her voice. "He's... very shy. And sort of afraid of you," she added with a little laugh, though she did not feel very humorous in the tense situation.

"Afraid of _me_?" Elmyra said, looking stunned. "Why? He looks like a very tall, powerful man... with a big sword, too..." She frowned, looking a bit afraid herself. How Aeris wished she had been able to convince Sephiroth to leave his weapon behind, but to no avail.

"I told him you don't like SOLDIERs very much..." Aeris said, convincing herself that this was still not really a lie. "Even though he hasn't been one in over five years, he still thinks you might hold it against him. He knows he has a reputation from then, too."

"Oh. All right..." Elmyra said, shrugging but still looking a bit unconvinced. "Well, if he changes his mind, he can certainly come in." Even though it was difficult for her, she was still trying to be a good hostess, just as she had been when Aeris brought Cloud home after he'd rescued her from Reno in the church. She probably would have invited _him _in for tea, too, Aeris thought to herself with some amusement, recalling the many times she'd done just such a thing when Tseng came knocking.

"Thanks, Mom... Let me go and tell him that, and I'll be right in!"

Elmyra watched her for a moment longer as she turned and jogged back up the path to where Sephiroth was standing. She studied them as Aeris reached his side, gazing up at him with a grin and explaining the situation. Sephiroth nodded to her wordlessly, though there was an odd expression on his face she could not quite read, before Aeris turned and made her way back into the house, leaving him alone again to stare into the distance. Elmyra quickly made them each a cup of tea and carried it on a tray into the living room, setting it on the coffee table before sitting down on the couch. Aeris took a seat in her favorite armchair, curling her legs up beneath her before taking her cup and sipping from it gratefully.

"That's perfect... I missed your tea," she said, grinning, before suddenly becoming very serious. "And _you_, Mom. I'm so sorry I ran out like that without explaining what was going on a little better. I'm sorry I made you worry about me."

Elmyra smiled softly, though she _had_ been a bit angry and very upset. "That's all right, dear. You have a good heart, and you always seem to be able to decide what's right, no matter what." If only she would see her marriage to Sephiroth that way, Aeris thought desperately, holding her cup tightly in her lap.

"Thanks, Mom. I wouldn't have done that if it wasn't important. The Planet is safe for now... I don't feel the fear or the pain coming from it like I did before. It's at peace now, which means I can have some peace, too."

"That's wonderful," Elmyra said, clearly not understanding entirely, but genuinely relieved nonetheless. She had always done her best to understand her daughter's unusual abilities, no matter how strange they sometimes sounded to her.

"Now we still have to deal with Shin-ra and the way they're treating the environment and so many people all over the Planet. I have a feeling that's going to be an even longer, harder fight..."

"But one you're determined to play a part in," Elmyra said knowingly.

Aeris smiled. "Yeah... I just can't turn back now, now that I've seen that a small group of people really_ can_ make a different for the entire Planet."

"I'm scared to death for you and so worried... But I'm also very proud," Elmyra said, tears visible in her eyes before she blinked them away. She was a strong woman and did not cry often, and her support meant the world to Aeris.

"Thanks, Mom... You're the best!"

"So what kind of things happened on your trip?" Elmyra asked, taking another sip of her tea.

"Oh... I won't bore you with stories about different battles and monsters and things," Aeris said with a smile, tactfully omitting all of the many events in which she had been in danger, such as when she'd woken up in Hojo's lab in Junon Harbor, or when Zack had kidnapped her. "But I made so many new friends, and got to see so much of the Planet and so many different towns! I got to ride in an airship, on a chocobo, in a plane, on a ship..."

"How exciting!" Elmyra said, feeling a bit envious of her daughter's youth and energy but very happy for her. "That sounds like an amazing adventure."

"It was," Aeris beamed, nodding her head in agreement. "I feel like... I know my place now. You know how, all my life, I always felt so different from everyone? How I could hear and feel things no one else could, and how I never thought anyone would understand or accept that about me?" she asked quietly, voice choked with emotion over those painful memories.

"Of course, dear... I know it was always hard for you to have the gifts you do. I can only imagine..."

"Well... now, after all this, I feel like I know where I belong, who I am, _why_ I have these abilities. I have a purpose now, Mom. I was always happy with you, but... something was just missing from my life. And now I've found it." Before she could stop herself, Aeris began to cry, wiping at her eyes and sniffling in annoyance with herself.

"Aeris... honey... what's wrong?" Elmyra asked, peering at her in concern, reaching across the distance to supportively take her hand.

Aeris took a moment to get a hold of herself, staring down into her lap before taking a deep breath. "Mom... So much happened on this trip, and I learned so much about the world and about myself. And I... I... met someone..." she nearly whispered, daring to look up into her mothers questioning eyes.

"Met someone?" she repeated, sounding concerned. "A man...?"

Aeris nodded weakly.

"That Cloud boy…?"

"No!" Aeris exclaimed, shaking her head. "No, not him... Cloud and I are just friends. He's like the brother I never had, and he's engaged to my friend Tifa now. No, this is someone you haven't met yet. At first, we... might seem like a very odd couple, but... we just have so much in common no one else can see. And I love him, Mom, I really do. This isn't just a silly crush... He's my soul mate."

Elmyra could only gape at her before exhaling, not having even realized she was holding her breath. "You're an adult now, Aeris... You're allowed to fall in love and make choices for yourself. If you're happy, then I'm very happy for you! I can't wait to meet him! He must be a wonderful man to have won your heart." Elmyra smiled at her, still obviously nervous and worried about her little girl, but also genuinely happy that her daughter, so long a loner and often worried that she would spend her life alone, had found someone to love.

"Oh, he is," Aeris said, wiping at her eyes and smiling with obvious affection. "He's so strong and brave, so protective of me... He looks at me like I'm some kind of angel, and takes such good care of me. To other people, he seems cold and frightening sometimes... but I know him in a way no one else does. He looks tough, but he's really very gentle and sweet. He just... takes some getting used to," Aeris said nervously, subconsciously glancing out the window behind her mother, where she could see Sephiroth now seated on the bench, facing a sea of endless of flowers, his posture as rigid as stone.

"Is he another SOLDIER?" Elmyra asked, frowning, reading into her daughter's words in that way she always managed, something that had annoyed Aeris when she was younger. A SOLDIER had broken her own heart when he had died in combat, and one had already hurt her daughter by breaking up with her suddenly when she was in her teens. Elmyra did not wish to go through that again... And besides, SOLDIERs were injected with Mako, and made unnatural, taught to kill and do horrible things in the name of Shin-ra. Her husband had been a good man, but many in the army were not, and she could not bear the thought of such a man with her sweet, innocent daughter.

"Not any more!" Aeris quickly assured her, her hands now shaking around the cup she still held tightly in her lap. "He was once... but he's changed. He's... he's been helping us against Shin-ra now, making up for his past. He regrets the things he's done, Mom, and he knows they were wrong, but at the time he didn't know any other way besides Shin-ra's. Now he only wants to do the right thing. And he loves me, Mom, no matter what anyone thinks of him..."

Elmyra shifted her weight on the couch, becoming more nervous and concerned by the minute. "I see..." she said, unsure of how else to react.

"He... He really wants you to like him," Aeris said quietly, still wiping at her eyes every few moments. "He's very nervous about all of this... He actually never had a girlfriend before! It's hard to believe, because, well... he's a little older... and he's so handsome. But he's telling the truth. He's nervous enough just about our relationship, and it's been hard on him to think about how others, especially you, would react to him being with me..."

"Aeris, you know I only want what's best for you, and for you to be happy," Elmyra said, reaching out again to squeeze her knee. "If you love him and he loves you, I'm willing to meet him and give him a fair chance. You don't need to be afraid to come to me with anything, ever..."

"Thanks, Mom..." Aeris said, sniffling. "Then I might as well just tell you the rest. I... We..."

Elmyra's eyes widened. "Aeris! You're not- Are you?!"

"No! I'm not _pregnant_!" Aeris exclaimed with a laugh, her mother's horrified expression a welcome relief of the tension in the room. "We haven't exactly had time for _that!_"

"Of course, of course, I'm sorry dear..." Elmyra said, finally grinning with relief and amusement. "What is it, then?"

Aeris smiled, forcing herself to be brave and go through with it. "While we were away, we... got married. Please don't be mad! I would have loved for you to be there, but it was kind of sudden. It was a private ceremony, just the two of us. If... if it makes you feel better, his father didn't get to go, either."

"You... Aeris... you got _married_?!" Elmyra squeaked, staring at her in shock. Aeris nodded weakly, lifting the chain and ring out from under her blouse to show her.

"We love each other and want to spend the rest of our loves together... So we figured, why wait? At one point, we weren't sure we'd get the chance later on. Please don't be angry, and please don't worry! Everything is fine, I know what I'm doing... and we're happy. We haven't gotten a spare minute to ourselves yet," she added with a nervous laugh, "But neither of us has any regrets. I just know this will work, Mom, I know this is right..."

Elmyra lifted a trembling hand to her mouth, shaking her head in disbelief. "I can't believe this..." she whispered, tears in her eyes once again. "My little girl..."

"Mom!" Aeris said, blushing. "I'm twenty-two... I'm an adult."

"And... how old is he again?"

"Umm…" she cleared her throat. "Thirty."

"Thirty?! Aeris... that's... that's..."

"_Only _eight years, and I've always been mature for my age," Aeris said quickly, realizing how moot a point the age difference would seem to her mother once she met her son-in-law.

Elmyra sighed. "I'm sorry, dear, I'm just so shocked... When can I meet him? It feels so strange... You've been gone for only a few months, I had no idea where you were, and when you come back, it's like you're suddenly all grown up... a married woman! Gods, Aeris, even your eyes look older, wiser..."

"I've... seen a lot out there, Mom," Aeris said softly. "Some of it good, a lot of it bad... But all of it was an incredible experience. Maybe I did have to grow up very fast in order to deal with it, but I don't have any regrets. I'm happier than I've ever been. You and he are the most important people in the world to me... All I want, more than anything, is for the two of you to get along. You already have me in common," she added with a smile. "How hard can it be?"

Elmyra grinned, too, taking a deep breath and nodding her head, slowly digesting the information. Aeris had always been free-spirited and full of surprises, after all. Somehow, after the announcement had a few minutes to sink in, it didn't seem like so much of a surprise after all. "Well, when can I meet him?" Elmyra asked, trying to look more happy and excited than nervous and worried.

"Well... _Now_, if you want..."

"What? He's here?" she asked, still not making the connection.

Aeris nodded. "Yeah... I'll be right back!" She stood quickly, rushing out of the house and up the little path, leaving her mother to sit on the couch, stunned, unable to see what was going on outside.

Aeris hurried to where Sephiroth was seated on the bench, reaching his side breathlessly and taking a hold of his hand. "Come on, Seph... Mom wants to meet you!"

She tugged on his arm eagerly, but he did not budge, raising his haunting green Mako eyes up to study her face. She felt her heart melt under that gaze and wanted more than anything to sit right down in his lap and kiss him, but was so nervous and focused on introducing her mother and husband that she quickly pushed the urge away.

"What? She... she does? You _told_ her...?" he asked with worry, not making a move to rise from his seat.

"Sort of..." Aeris said, keeping her hold on his hand but no longer pulling. "I... told her I met someone and fell in love, that he was an ex-SOLDIER who was now with Avalanche and trying to make up for his past, that he was thirty and handsome and never had a girlfriend before... and that we got married."

"Did you _have_ to include the part about never having a girlfriend before?" he grumbled, frowning darkly, blushing a bit in embarrassment. Aeris giggled, squeezing his hand.

"That may be the best thing you have going for you in her eyes," she said. "It helped you score points with me, after all!"

"Hmph."

"Now come on, she's waiting!"

"But... but... Aeris..." he protested, allowing her to get him on his feet and begin leading him toward her home anyway, sighing heavily and gathering his nerve. "I am sure this will be... _quite_ interesting," he said dryly.

"Interesting indeed," she said, pausing at the doorway and taking a deep breath. "Well... here goes nothing. Ready?"

Sephiroth nodded, looking as if he was about to walk into a firefight. "If you are, my love."

Aeris beamed, took another breath, and then opened the door and walked inside, her hand still in Sephiroth's. Elmyra looked up, staring at them blankly as she struggled to comprehend the situation.

"Mom... this is Sephiroth... My husband. Seph, this is Elmyra, my mother."

Sephiroth stood tall and rigid as Elmyra's eyes widened, her mouth dropping open in alarm.

"Wh-what?" she sputtered, looking him over from head to toe, then turning to gape at her daughter. "Aeris... this is... You mean you... you married _him_?"

Aeris nodded, holding her head high, keeping her hold on Sephiroth's hand. "Yes, Mom. This is the man I fell in love with."

Sephiroth nervously cleared his throat. "Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Gainsborough."

Elmyra, however, looked less than pleased. "I... I can't believe this... Aeris! He's... he's General Sephiroth! He was always in the news, for conquering towns and killing people." Elmyra turned an accusing eye on him, and Sephiroth visibly shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "How... why? Aeris, dear, are you sure he even is who he says?"

"Of course he is!" Aeris exclaimed, frustrated. She didn't want to mention that he had the tattoo to prove it, since it was already such a delicate subject with her new husband. "Don't be silly, Mother..."

Sephiroth said nothing, watching the exchange warily, as if expecting a blow to fall at any moment.

"_Silly?! _Aeris! What am I supposed to say? You come home after three months of running around with a rebel group, and you bring one of the most dangerous men who ever lived with you as your husband?"

"I... I know it's hard to understand, but... _please_, Mom. Sephiroth doesn't mean me any harm. He's changed... And we love each other." She smiled up at him then, and Sephiroth nodded firmly, though his expression was still one of worry. Aeris met his eyes and returned the nod encouragingly, willing him to speak up and explain himself. Sephiroth sighed and nervously lifted his free hand to briefly rub one temple, then turned to Elmyra.

"I... realize how this must seem, and that I have something of a reputation." He paused, clearing his throat awkwardly. _If she only knew the half of it... _"But Aeris has spoken the truth. I love her. I would never hurt her. I am... not the man I used to be... thanks mostly to her, for giving me a second chance."

He quickly looked down again, clearly uncomfortable, and Aeris squeezed his hand tightly in hers. He had spoken perfectly, more openly than she could have hoped for, and she was filled with a deep sense of pride. Now it was up to her mother to accept it or cast him out.

There was silence for nearly a minute, before Elmyra finally sighed, shook her head, and looked at Aeris again. "If this is what you want... and you're sure... You're an adult now, and you have the right to love whomever you choose. I can't say I like it or that I'll ever get used to it... but I will accept it. If you're happy with him, well, then... I'm happy for you, dear."

With tears in her eyes, Elmyra stepped forward and embraced her only child tightly, sniffling with barely contained tears. Aeris dropped Sephiroth's hand to hug her back, and he could only stand stiffly and watch, feeling very awkward and out of place. But as soon as mother and daughter had released each other, each wiping at their eyes, Aeris instantly reclaimed her hold on his hand, grinning up at him brightly.

"You see that... You were afraid for nothing."

Sephiroth snorted, his cheeks coloring a bit. "I was not afraid of an o- an oral disagreement," he quickly covered himself, blushing even more intensely. Luckily, Elmyra didn't seem to notice, and Aeris was able to smother a horrified gasp in time. _Oh my goodness, if he had called her an old woman..._ Aeris cringed, then quickly turned back to her mother, smiling warmly.

"How about I make you dinner, Mom, since you've been taking care of yourself and my friend's little girl for so long? You can just sit down, relax... and get to know Sephiroth while I'm working!"

"_What?_" Sephiroth whispered, horrified, staring at Aeris in disbelief.

"Umm... sure, dear," Elmyra said hesitantly, taking another nervous glance at the towering man in black standing before her. "That... sounds nice."

Aeris glanced pointedly toward the sword sheathed at his side then and he sighed, reluctantly setting it down against one wall and feeling even more vulnerable than before. She beamed, then pulled Sephiroth by the hand over to her favorite chair, 'helping' him to sit with a slight push backwards. He grunted and briefly glared at her, to which she simply giggled and winked out of her mother's view. Elmyra awkwardly sat opposite him on the couch, folding her hands in her lap, looking as if she was about to be left alone with a dangerous criminal, one who himself appeared as if he was about to be interrogated and tortured.

"Well... you two have a nice chat! I'll try not to take too long," Aeris said, quickly heading into the kitchen. She threw Sephiroth and her mother each a final gaze, one that read as 'Be nice' to each of them, and then disappeared.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Silence hung over the room like a smothering veil for the next five minutes, neither able to look at the other, each shifting their sitting position now and then, nervously clearing their throats for lack of anything better to do in the tense situation. Finally, Elmyra sighed, turning to look her son-in-law over as he gazed out the window behind her, looking anywhere but at her face.

He really was a rather good looking young man, she thought to herself, studying his delicate features closely. He was quite striking, in fact, with such pretty green eyes despite their unnatural Mako glow. Even though she usually preferred a clean cut man, the long silver hair somehow looked good on him, neatly framing his flawless face with soft bangs and trailing down his back and shoulders, not a strand out of place. Everything about him was neat, in fact, from the perfect way he had laced up his polished boots to the way his black trench coat fell gracefully around him. Even wearing all black, up close he was somehow not as frightening and intimidating as she had always pictured him, even though he was indeed very tall and quite well built. His posture, too, was perfect, probably due to his military training. She looked to see if his fingernails were neat and trimmed out of habit, but found that his hands were covered with gloves. That was odd... but then, so was the trench coat and large silver belt buckle he wore, and just about everything else about him.

She admitted that he was indeed a handsome man, one with a proper sense of hygiene at that. _Finally. _The last two men Aeris had brought home from SOLDIER did not even appear as if they ever washed or brushed their hair, and this was a welcome improvement. Elmyra herself was a very tidy person regarding both her home and her person, and was always pleased to find that trait in others.

"Well..." she finally said, reminding herself not to stare at him even though there was something about him that simply made one want to. He had to be the prettiest person she had ever laid eyes on, so perfect and without any visible flaws, that he was almost unreal.

He could have easily been a model instead of a SOLDIER... In fact, aside from the obvious muscles of his arms, shoulders, and neck, he simply looked too fair and delicate to be the deadly swordsman he was once hailed as, his long, graceful fingers more suited for art or music than killing.

"So where are you from, Sephiroth?" she asked uncertainly, still made very nervous by his foreboding presence and his sudden relationship with her precious daughter.

"Midgar," he said in his quiet, yet deep voice, a voice that made people take notice and listen. It was a commander's voice, one that most people would fall in line and obey without question. Yet there was an odd softness to it, as if perhaps he, too, was nervous and uncomfortable, as unsure of what to expect from her as she was from him.

"Ah, I see... What part?"

"The plate."

"Oh. I've never been up there."

He nodded, still looking out the window. Elmyra sighed inwardly. He wasn't much of a conversationalist, apparently, but she was determined to learn more about this man who had married her daughter.

"Aeris mentioned your father earlier. Is he from Midgar, too?"

"No."

"Where is he from?" she asked, trying not to let her frustration show. This was like pulling teeth.

"Wutai."

"Oh, I hear that's a lovely country," Elmyra said, unable to help looking him over again. That explained his delicate, attractive features, at least, and the slight, dramatic slant of his eyes. "So your parents are Wutain."

He shook his head. "Only my father."

"Well... then, where is your mother from?" she asked, forcing a smile, trying not to let the frustration seep into her voice.

"Midgar."

Elmyra wanted to smack her forehead. The conversation, if it could be called that, had quickly come full circle. "I see... What do your parents do? For a living, I mean." Elmyra knew she was being nosey, but could not help it. She wanted to know all she could about him, so she could make sure her daughter was safe.

"My father was... a Shin-ra employee... but he is now with Avalanche," Sephiroth said, shifting uncomfortably, finally turning to look at her, his eyes somewhere over her left shoulder.

"And your mother?" she asked, trying not to cringe at his father's occupation.

"She is... deceased," he said quietly, looking down, and for a moment, Elmyra thought she saw a glimmer of emotion on those stoic features.

"Oh..." Elmyra said, blushing and looking down guiltily. "I'm so sorry... I didn't know. Recently?" she couldn't help but ask.

"No. When I was born."

"Oh my goodness... Aeris' birth mother died when she was a very little girl, she probably told you..."

Sephiroth nodded, frowning as if he knew more than that but was not willing to say.

"She doesn't remember her very much... And she never knew her father, either."

"I... only recently met mine."

"Oh... I see," Elmyra said, wondering just what kind of family life this man had had growing up. His mother had died, and his father had only recently come to meet him? Perhaps he had been adopted, too, like Aeris. "Do you have any siblings?" she asked him, still determined to learn all she could. "Any other relatives you're close to?"

"No," he said, his voice taking on a harsh tone she did not understand.

"Who raised you, then?" she pressed, unable to help herself.

"..."

Elmyra tilted her head, studying him closely. What was he hiding behind those glowing eyes? She watched as he clenched his jaw and began to wring his hands in his lap, clearly uncomfortable, eyes darting about as if looking for an escape.

"I was raised by... various family acquaintances..." he finally said, his voice as tense as his posture.

"Oh... that must have been hard."

A shrug.

Elmyra frowned, quietly shaking her head. This was a burdened man, one with many issues just below the surface, she could see that clearly after just minutes… Issues that could be brought to life just by asking a few simple questions. She didn't know exactly _what_ was going on inside his head or what his life had been like, but she could already sense the tension, the pain, and knew it couldn't have been pleasant, and that he was still dealing with whatever had happened. What had Aeris gotten herself into? This was just like her, always bringing home wild birds with broken wings and begging to be allowed to keep them…

"How did you and Aeris meet?" she asked a moment later, hoping to lighten the subject, feeling guilty for upsetting this man she was still so leery of.

"On Avalanche," he said, retreating to his one and two word answers, his voice once again monotone, as if he was too tired to muster up any further effort.

"Well, I _figured_ that much," Elmyra said, forcing a nervous chuckle.

"She... got me out of some... trouble... I was in," Sephiroth elaborated a moment later, feeling her eyes drilling holes into his skull, trying to reach his thoughts. "I became her bodyguard as repayment."

"Well, I'm... glad you protected her out there," Elmyra said, surprised to find she genuinely meant it. "Aeris has always been such a free spirit, but I'm afraid she isn't much of a fighter."

To her surprise, a small smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. "No... she is not," he agreed, a rare sparkle in his eyes. "But she is learning."

"You've been teaching her how to fight?" Elmyra asked, both grateful and horrified by the thought.

Sephiroth nodded. "She has improved a great deal."

"Well... that's good," Elmyra said, thoughts of her daughter rushing into a dangerous, bloody battle sending chills up her spine. He made a sound of agreement, then said no more, his haunting gaze again out the window behind her. Elmyra was relieved when Aeris appeared in the doorway to the kitchen about ten minutes later, having been about to go insane from the silence and awkwardness of the situation, a bright grin on her face at finding them both still unharmed and acting civilly.

"Dinner's ready!" she announced, holding the kitchen door open. "Come on, so I can find out what you two were saying about me," she said with a giggle, though she looked quite nervous at the thought. Elmyra practically jumped from her seat and ran into the kitchen, Sephiroth heaving a sigh a moment later and slowly getting to his feet, trudging after her as if heading into a massacre.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

After dinner, during which Aeris tried and failed to start several conversations between the three of them, she and Elmyra were in the kitchen washing the dishes, leaving Sephiroth to sit by himself in the living room. Aeris watched her mother closely as they worked, noting her tension, and decided to find out how she was reacting so far.

"So... what do you think of him?" she asked nervously, the answer a very important one.

Elmyra looked up from the sink in surprise, frowning in thought, taking her time before responding and carefully choosing her words.

"He's... quiet," she said, as if assuming that would be a safe reply. "And very neat."

"Yeah... he is," Aeris said, smiling fondly. "He relaxes and opens up a little once you get to know him, but he's actually pretty shy and not very comfortable in social situations."

"I can see that."

"He was... kept pretty sheltered growing up, so he isn't always sure how to deal with people. But he really wants you to like him, Mom..."

"I would love to like him, too, dear... because he's your husband. And you obviously love him very much and see something special in him. But I... he makes me uncomfortable. I'm sorry, but... there's just something _strange_ about him..."

Aeris frowned, looking down at the glass she was drying and blinking away the tears her mother's rejection of Sephiroth brought to her eyes. "He hasn't had the best life, Mom," she whispered, setting the glass on the counter. "But somehow, he survived, and he struggles every day to move past it all."

"It sounds like you took on an awful lot of responsibility marrying a man who seems so troubled," Elmyra said, picking up the glass and stretching to replace it in the top cabinet above the sink. "Is that what you want? To spend your life trying to repair the damage other people have done?"

"Yes," Aeris said without hesitation. "Because I've seen the real person under all of that hurt... And I love what I saw. No one should ever be given up on, Mom... What if you had given up on me the first time I told you I heard the Planet talking in my head? What if you thought I was crazy and pushed me away instead of holding me and telling me it was all right, that you still loved me and didn't think I was insane?"

Her voice was choked with emotion at those raw, painful memories, the feelings of loneliness she had felt then despite her mother's love almost overwhelming even after so many years. Elmyra put a hand on her arm, smiling warmly, lifting her other hand to brush the hair out of her daughter's face.

"You know I never would have done that, Aeris. I always tried to understand, and I never thought you were crazy. I love you, and nothing will change that."

"Then you _do _understand," Aeris said, smiling faintly, watching her mother frown as she realized she had talked herself into a corner. "I feel the same way about Sephiroth."

Elmyra sighed. "I just want to know you're sure about this, that you're happy, you're safe, and you know what you're doing. He's older than you, obviously has some emotional problems, has been in a war..."

"I am more sure, and happier, than I ever thought I could be. I love him, and wanted to marry him more than anything in the world. We've talked a lot of things through, and I'm comfortable with his past now. I know how to help him. He _needs_ me, Mom... and I need him. I've never felt so connected to anyone before... We have so much in common that people can't see, so many things that bond us together. There's just always been something there between us, something so strong and beautiful. I know he isn't perfect, but I love him exactly the way he is. I just... hope, maybe someday, you can love him, too."

"For you, I'll try," Elmyra said quietly, meaning every word. She embraced Aeris then, getting soap suds on her daughter's blouse and causing them to laugh just like old times, all of the tension gone for the moment.

"So it's really okay then if he stays here with us for a few days?" Aeris asked as they finished up and put the last of the glasses away, hope slipping into her voice and making her feel like a young girl asking if her friend could sleep over.

Elmyra nodded after only a brief pause. "He's... he's my son-in-law. Of course he can stay. I'll clear out Marlene's room for him and-"

_"Mother!"_ Aeris interrupted with a giggle, her cheeks instantly flushing. "We're _married!_"

"Oh... oh!" Elmyra stumbled, blushing herself and lifting a nervous hand to her chin at the thought of it. "Of course, dear! How... silly of me..."

"That's okay..." Aeris said, smiling and hugging her again. "Well, come on. Everything is done in here, and Sephiroth is probably wondering what happened to us by now!"

Elmyra nodded, unable to muster her daughter's enthusiasm, but followed her out into the living room again, taking a deep breath and reaffirming her resolve to try her best to accept her daughter's new husband.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

For the next few hours, Aeris and Sephiroth sat side-by-side on the couch, Elmyra now in the reclining chair across from them, mother and daughter talking about the past and some of Aeris' adventures with Avalanche while Sephiroth sat largely in silence. Aeris had tried to bring him into the discussion more than once, but he would only nod or offer a word or two, then retreat back into himself, content to sit at her side and hold her hand without drawing any more attention to himself. He could tell it frustrated Aeris and made her mother nervous, but could not help it. He simply did not feel comfortable talking to her yet and wanted nothing more than to escape her curious, wary gaze. But he stayed for Aeris, knowing how important this was to her, determined to make her happy any way he could.

He was relieved when Elmyra began to yawn, the clock striking eleven in the background and echoing throughout the house. He was still very much awake, so tense and nervous that he could not relax enough to be tired, and Aeris still seemed full of energy at his side as well. She glanced up at him and smiled then, squeezing his hand, and he could not help but smile back awkwardly, briefly losing himself in her eyes before she looked away again, back at her mother.

"Why don't you go to bed, Mom?" Aeris asked upon seeing Elmyra yawn yet again. "Don't let us keep you up. We still have the next two days to talk and catch up."

Elmyra glanced at the clock and smiled slightly, nodding to her daughter regretfully. "I'm sorry, dear... but the little angel is always up at the crack of dawn!" She laughed lightly, shaking her head. "That child is so full of life and energy, so much like you were at her age. She keeps me on my toes!"

Elmyra rose from her chair then, stretching a bit and yawning once more, then nervously glanced down at her daughter. "Are you sure you don't mind?" she asked, as if she thought Aeris might not want to be left alone with Sephiroth... or perhaps _she_ didn't want her to be. But he was her husband, she seemed to remind herself, blushing a little.

"Of course you don't, that was silly of me. You've been telling me how you've been so busy and so smothered by everyone that you haven't gotten much time alone. I'll go on to bed and get out of your hair, kids."

Aeris grinned gratefully, rising to hug her mother and kiss her cheek. "Good night, Mom," she said, then lowered her voice to a whisper. "And don't worry..." Elmyra nodded to her, looking a bit misty eyed again, but quickly got a hold of herself.

"Good night, dear... Umm, good night, Sephiroth..."

"Good night, Mrs. Gainsborough," he said stiffly, shifting under the suspicious, mildly distrustful way she still looked at him. Elmyra hesitated only a moment longer, then turned and made her way across the room and down a long hallway to her bedroom.

When a door was heard closing a moment later, Aeris instantly heaved a sigh of relief, grinning and sitting down next to Sephiroth on the couch again, this time much closer. She leaned in against him and rested her head on his shoulder, placing one hand on his broad chest. "I didn't think she was ever going to leave us alone!" she giggled. Sephiroth arched an eyebrow in surprise, but instantly lifted his arm and wrapped it around her, holding her close to him.

"I thought you were enjoying your conversation."

"I was! I missed her so much. But... I can see how uncomfortable you two make each other." She sighed wistfully. "I hope that will change..."

"I am _trying,_" Sephiroth said a bit defensively. "She is not exactly making it easy for me..."

"I know, I know. You have to understand, she's very protective of me..."

"Yes... but so am I."

Aeris smiled, lifting her hand to gently touch his cheek. "I know... You are such a sweetheart to do this for me. I'm really proud of you, and I'm so happy. And now we finally have some time to ourselves!" She leaned up and kissed him softly, and Sephiroth hesitated only a moment before kissing her back, lifting his free hand to rest against her neck. Aeris pulled away breathlessly a moment later, looking up at his surprised expression and giggling.

"I feel like a teenager sneaking her boyfriend in once her parents are in bed... Not that I ever did that!"

Sephiroth looked momentarily startled, then smirked a bit mischievously and effortlessly pulled her over into his lap. His eyes were sparkling as she laughed and curled up against him, arms around his neck, absently running one hand through his hair. He did his best not to betray the nervousness he felt at holding her so close, not to give in to the fear that he might hurt her and the belief that he did not deserve her, trying so hard to believe that she would never leave him alone. He stared at her intently for long moments without realizing it, his stubborn mind battling against his heart and his body, blinking in surprise when she lifted a hand to touch his cheek.

"Are you all right?" she asked him, lightly tracing his jaw line with her fingers. "If you're uncomfortable, we can just-"

"No, no," he quickly interrupted her, not wanting her to think he did not wish to be close to her. "It is not that. I am just... a bit nervous. I... am afraid I do not really know what I am doing." He felt himself blush, looking away from her in embarrassment. Aeris softly turned his chin so that he was looking into her eyes again, smiling reassuringly before stretching up to kiss him again.

"That's all right... I'm a little nervous too. And I'm not sure what _I'm_ doing, either!" She giggled, a nervous habit she could not shake. "I bet we can figure it out together, though..." she added with a little smirk.

Since they had gotten married, the two had not gotten to spend any real time alone together aside from the night Cloud attacked Sephiroth and Vincent stood sentry outside the door while she slept at his side as he recovered from his injuries. Aeris wanted nothing more than to spend this night with him now that the biggest danger to the Planet was over and they were away from all of the others and no longer had to fear an attack. Despite the nervous uncertainty she felt in the pit of her stomach and the anxious fluttering of her heart, to be with him as his wife was something she had dreamed of since the first time she realized she loved him, and as patient as she tried to be, she didn't want to wait any longer. Though she had no previous experience to call on, she wanted to make everything perfect, doing her best to relax him and make him comfortable with her, to let him know she loved him no matter what and would never leave him.

"I think it's very normal to be nervous... " she went on, still lazily tracing her fingers along his jaw and neck as he gradually began to relax under her gentle touch. "I mean, we've been married less than a week, and we haven't... had any time to ourselves to get used to it. I just... I want to be with you so badly. But only if it's something you want and feel ready for, too."

"I... would not have asked you to marry me if I did not want to," he said quietly, and Aeris noticed the way he kept nervously eyeing the hallway, as if he was afraid Elmyra would reappear at any moment to take her away from him. With a warm smile, Aeris carefully climbed out of his lap and got to her feet, then held out her hand to him.

"Come on," she said, cheeks flushing, trying very hard to appear relaxed even though her outstretched hand was shaking ever so slightly. "Let's go upstairs."

Sephiroth hesitated only a moment, then nodded to her and offered her his gloved hand, letting her help him up and then lead him to the stairway. They silently made their way up to the second floor, each certain the other and all of Midgar could hear their hearts pounding. Aeris passed the first door and stopped in front of the second, pushing it open and leading him in after her as she flicked on the light before softly closing and locking the door behind her with trembling hands.

"Well... here we are. This is my room," Aeris said a bit self consciously, looking around the familiar room fondly. She had missed her bedroom so much, the one place where she always felt safe, where she could be herself without worrying about what others thought, where she could think in solitude. She was grateful then that Elmyra's room was downstairs and on the opposite side of the house, something that had made her fearful at times when she was a child, but was now a blessing.

She watched as Sephiroth stood stiffly just inside the door, looking around with a curious expression. He took in the pink flowered wall paper and the light pink spread that covered the small, single bed against one wall, a large stuffed bear resting upon it. There was vase of fresh flowers on the dresser, and a colorful painting of a rainbow over a waterfall on one wall.

Sephiroth suddenly felt very out of place in his long, black trench coat and dark clothing, a soldier invading the privacy of an angel. The room was so soft, so innocent and angelic, just like her, that he felt as if he did not have the right to be there, as if he was fouling a sacred place with his darkness. Part of him cursed himself, telling him to leave before they did something she might regret… but a far larger part longed to stay with her and find the peace that being in her arms seemed to promise.

"I... I know it's childish," Aeris was saying, quickly swiping the bear off of her bed and stashing it in the closet. "I'm sorry. You... you can sleep in the guest room if you want..."

Her cheeks turned very pink, and Sephiroth struggled not to think of how young she looked. He cleared his throat nervously, taking one last look around the room, then managed to meet her timid, sheepish gaze, offering her a partial smirk.

"It is... you," he said simply, eyes sparkling as he realized this was _exactly _the way he would have pictured her bedroom. "I... would be honored to share this night here with you."

Aeris felt weak in the knees when he said those words, looking at her with such open love and adoration, as if she was a saint that had been sent to him from the heavens. She smiled and crossed the room to stand before him, reaching up to drape her arms around his neck, trying to push aside any lingering worries as she offered herself to him.

"Are you sure?" she asked him, still doubting herself a little and not wanting to move too fast for him. His needs came first, even ahead of her own desires, and he still had so many scars to overcome. If this level of intimacy was not something he was capable of yet, she would surely wait for him, even if it meant waiting the rest of her life.

Sephiroth nodded instantly, however, winding one arm around her waist and lifting his other hand to the back of her neck, holding her gently as he leaned down and kissed her with an openness and passion she had never felt from him before. When she breathlessly looked up into his eyes a moment later, her heart raced at what she saw. It was as if suddenly, the emotional walls he had built between himself and everyone else were simply gone. In his eyes, his love and desire for her was now plain to see, and Aeris felt tears burn her eyes. For the first time, perhaps in his entire life, his expression was relaxed and full of trust, as if in that moment, he had somehow found peace, the darkness in his mind quieted by his love for her. The change in his demeanor was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

"I love you, Seph... so much..." she whispered, leaning into him as if she could never hope to get close enough, searching for a way to make him a part of herself so that she would never have to be without him again. She could hear his heart racing as quickly as her own, softly rubbing his back with one hand and clinging to him with the other, never wanting to let go.

"I love you, too, Aeris," he said, a new confidence in his deep voice as he lifted her chin to kiss her again, even more urgently than before, forgetting to be nervous and awkward in the intensity of the moment. For once, he seemed to be taking the lead, something Aeris was grateful for. "I only want to make you happy. Please... Show me how..."

He held her so tightly against him then that she almost had to fight to breathe, but the closeness felt so good, so right, that she didn't care.

"You already have," she whispered to him before stepping out of his embrace and shyly leading him over to her bed. She paused for long enough to let him take off his boots and trench coat, then reached out and gently removed both of his gloves. This time, he let her without hesitation, his mind definitely elsewhere. Taking a hold of both of his hands, Aeris laid down on the bed, tugging him after her and melting when she gazed up into his eyes, the connection between them so intense at that moment she could barely speak her final words before giving in completely.

"I'm already the happiest woman alive."

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Some time later, Sephiroth and Aeris were still awake, lying on their sides facing each other and tightly wrapped in each other's arms. The bed was so small that it was difficult to lay together any other way, but neither of them minded at the moment. Aeris sighed contentedly and snuggled up against him, her forehead nestled against his bare chest, his chin resting softly atop her head.

"I never want to forget this night," Aeris said quietly, running one hand along his bare back, smiling at the expression of pleasure it brought to his face.

"Neither do I. But do not worry... I will not let you," he said, lifting her chin to kiss her lips. Aeris giggled, her hand at his cheek, staring into those Mako eyes that were even more beautiful in the dark and feeling as if she could happily lose herself.

"You don't tire easily, do you?" she teased him, watching as he blushed and studied her with surprise, blinking a few times rapidly as if he didn't realize she was joking.

"I... I... did not mean to... I..." he stumbled, clearly embarrassed, not having thought about how his unusual abilities might have affected even such an intimate night shared between two newlyweds. Aeris laughed harder at his expression, drawing him down for another kiss and interrupting his stammered apology.

"I was kidding," she whispered a moment later, watching him frown in annoyance, then take on a look of relief, pulling her closer to him again. "You were perfect."

"Only because of you," he said instantly, nearly crushing her against him, voice filled with tender emotion.

"I never thought I could feel this way," Aeris went on quietly, resting against his chest once more. "I never thought I would meet anyone like you, or ever love this way..."

"Do not be silly... A woman as perfect as you would have had no difficulty," he said, his insecurities and feelings of unworthiness briefly rising up and causing him to go tense in her arms.

"I'm hardly perfect, Seph..." She sighed wistfully, not wanting to ruin the moment, but feeling as if she had to share what was on her mind with him. "When I was younger, none of the other kids liked me. They all... said I was crazy, because I could hear the Planet."

"I do not care what anyone else thinks," he said, caressing her upper arm with one hand. "To me, you are."

Aeris had to blink away tears at hearing him say that, scolding herself for getting so emotional. She was supposed to be taking care of him, after all, not the other way around. "Thank you... I just... being here reminds me of all those nights I laid in this bed alone, staring at the ceiling, wondering if anyone would ever love me, if anyone would ever understand..." A tear fell from her eye despite her efforts to blink them away, trickling down her cheek before falling onto his chest. "I never dreamed I would find anyone... I thought I would always be alone, crying myself to sleep." She sniffled as he lifted a hand to softly brush away the tears that now fell, kissing the top of her head and keeping her close to him, pulling the blankets more tightly around them as if trying to shield her from the pain.

"So long as you can tolerate me, you will never be alone again," he said, still battling to convince himself that he had really found love while also trying to reassure her.

Easing her fears somehow made him less nervous and aware of his own, and all he wanted to do was lay there and hold her that way for eternity.

"Thanks, Seph..." she whispered, managing to smile up at him and blinking away the last of the tears. "I'm sorry... I'm just so happy and emotional right now. I guess all new brides go through this," she said with a smile, leaning up to softly kiss him again. "But not all of them are as lucky as I am."

"Hmph," he said, a sparkle in his eyes and a smirk on his lips. A moment later, he had propped himself up on one elbow to lean over her, claiming her mouth in a passionate kiss. "We'll see if you still say that in a few days..."

Aeris laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck, holding him close as he moved to kiss her neck, shivering with delight. "You're on, mister," she said, and then the words became lost as they held each other close, all of their troubles suddenly seeming very far away.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Elmyra was shocked to find it was after ten in the morning when she rolled over in bed to check her clock, bolting into a sitting position in alarm. What a bad hostess she was being, to sleep in so late when she had planned to make a big breakfast for Aeris... and her husband. The thought was still so strange to her that she cringed, the idea of the tall, dark soldier married to her daughter frightening. She sighed heavily as she pulled back the covers and climbed out of bed, stepping into her slippers before reaching over to draw back the curtains, allowing the morning sun to filter into the room.

When she peered outside to see what the weather was like, she immediately froze at what she saw. There, just up the path and standing together among the many winding rows of flowers she had planted over the years, was Aeris, bending over to smell one of the tall rose bushes... and Sephiroth. He stood just behind her, and though he looked tense and rigid, he was watching her with an obvious attentive fascination, his eyes never leaving her form as she grinned and skipped to a different part of the garden, joyfully bending over to smell the flowers there as well. Sephiroth loyally trailed after her, taking in her every move, a softness in his eyes Elmyra was shocked to see. And though it was hard to admit, as she watched them, she realized she had never seen Aeris look so happy, so alive, before.

She continued to watch from the window as her daughter turned, gazing at Sephiroth with an obvious love written all over her beautiful face, then giggled and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. Though Elmyra felt guilty, she could not take her eyes away from the scene as Aeris stretched up to kiss him, his arms snaking around her and pulling her close. She was briefly alarmed to see Sephiroth literally pluck Aeris up off her feet as if she weighed nothing, but exhaled in relief when she heard her daughter's musical laughter and saw the look of delight on her face as he briefly spun her around before setting her gently back down again. As the two of them stood there in each other's arms, the expressions they wore could be described as nothing short of pure and utter love and adoration. Elmyra was completely astounded as she watched the man who had seemed so cold, so rigid and unfeeling the day before, look at her daughter as if she were a goddess, his manner now warm and tender as if he was not the same man who had sat in her living room and grunted one word answers at her.

As Sephiroth bent down to kiss Aeris again, Elmyra finally looked away, stepping back from the window and taking her robe from the chair at her bed side. She slipped it on over her nightgown and quietly crossed the room, heading down the hallway to start a late breakfast for the three of them. Perhaps Sephiroth was not the man she would have ever chosen for her daughter, she thought, but as hard as it was for her to admit, Aeris seemed completely content and very happy to be married to him if what she had just witnessed was any indication. Through the window in the morning sun, she had seen the other side of which Aeris had spoken, the one she said Sephiroth would reveal only for her.

Maybe Aeris was right about him, Elmyra admitted as she stepped into the kitchen, catching a glimpse of the couple as they to walked up the path that led back to the house, hand in hand. Maybe this wouldn't be the easiest thing to get used to, and maybe Sephiroth was far from perfect, but then, maybe that wasn't what mattered. What mattered was that her daughter, who had spent so many nights crying to her that she would never be loved or accepted, had finally found someone who made her happy, who made her feel whole. And if Aeris was as happy as she looked that morning, then Elmyra was happy, too. She would simply have to get used to her daughter's sudden marriage, and maybe even learn to accept her new husband.


	2. Phase Two: Mourning

_**Phase Two: Mourning**_

Home again... how frightening that he thought of this place as home. As he lay on his back, resting against the soft red cushions that lined the inside of his coffin, Vincent stared at the wooden lid that was only inches above his face and sighed wearily. But try as he might, he found that he simply could not shut off his mind to find rest, even though he had once slept in the same box of death for nearly thirty years. Why should now be any different than before? Nothing had changed... She was still dead. And without her, he wished to be dead, too.

Yet Vincent found himself oddly restless, as if he could not lay still, but tossing and turning was hardly possibly in his narrow wooden prison, a prison he had sentenced himself to yet again for all of eternity. Why did he feel so ill at ease, when this was what he had freely chosen for himself? The Planet had been saved, and Sephiroth was alive and well, still troubled but safely in the capable, loving hands of Aeris. He was not needed any longer... He had done the little he could to atone for his many sins, but still it had not been enough to undo the damage he had caused or lift the guilt and burden from his stained soul.

Vincent Valentine had died the day _she _had, leaving behind only an empty shell ripe with guilt and chaos, a foul creature who had fooled himself and those around him by ever thinking he might be able to find redemption. He was not even fit to walk among the living. And so he had come back here, his place of rest, intending to never again face the light of day and what the world had become for him without her in it.

Still he could not sleep despite his resolve to shut off his mind and forget, could not remove images of that outside world from his thoughts no matter how he tried. Was it really over? Shin-ra was still at large... and though he had thought Hojo dead, after the events of the day before he was no longer quite so certain. It was as if he could still _feel _his evil presence lurking about, as if he was simply laying low and preparing to strike again when it was least expected.

What would he do this time? Vincent mused darkly. Would he go after Sephiroth and Aeris again, for use in yet another of his insane experiments? What if captured them? What if he succeeded? Who would be there to protect his son and his new wife from the madness that had destroyed his own life and taken that of Lucrecia long before her time?

Nonsense, Vincent told himself firmly, still staring at the inside of the coffin's lid. Sephiroth certainly did not need him, for protection or anything else. He was an adult now, a man who had grown up largely alone, abused by those he came in contact with, manipulated and controlled against his will... All because Vincent had not been strong enough to stop it, to protect he and Lucrecia, to realize he was her child's father and step up to do something about it. Sephiroth certainly did not want or need him now. When he had needed him, all those years before when he was growing up so painfully alone, Vincent was nowhere to be found. He was no better than his own absent father, a man he had never met and grown up resenting, a man he had vowed that he would never become.

But when his own son had cried alone in the dark all those nights much as he had as a youth, wondering who he was and why his parents had left him, Vincent had been sleeping in a coffin and hiding from his sins.

_Hiding? _

Where had that thought come from? He was not hiding at all, he told himself with a deep frown, but instead punishing himself, making himself suffer for what he had done. Cowards hid, and Vincent had never been a coward. He had come back to this place because his purpose had been fulfilled, and there was simply no more a poor excuse for a man like himself could do. That was why he had left, not because he was hiding... Certainly not hiding from his feelings, from the things seeing he and Lucrecia's son as a grown man stirred within him, from the aching loneliness watching he and Aeris together caused him...

No! he scolded himself, desperate to believe such things were not true. He could have dealt with all of that if he really had to, he told himself. He had left only because it was the best thing for him and those around him... not because he wished to escape the world again, escape the painful memories and the sins of the past. Escape and forget...

Vincent sighed heavily, staring at the lid of the coffin intensely, as if the plain, dark wood might change form if he looked long and hard enough with his tired, burdened red eyes. What was he planning to do in there? he wondered for the first time since arriving and laying back down to rest. He could not sleep, could not shut off his mind for long enough to escape. Would he simply lay still inside the imprisoning box for the rest of his days, reflecting on the past and thinking up excuses as to why he ought to remain there? Wondering what was happening outside? How his son was doing, what his life might turn out to be... what his grandchildren would look like.

Try as he might to escape such thoughts, Vincent found that they remained despite his efforts, settled into a part of his mind he could never be rid of. Even though he had lost the only woman he had ever and would ever love, even though he felt dead inside... Vincent wanted to know what the future held. He _cared_ what it held, he realized, for the first time in thirty years. Not for himself, but for Sephiroth and Aeris. But how could he know such a thing if he remained locked away inside a coffin? And what would Sephiroth think when he learned that his father did not intend to return to Avalanche, but had abandoned him one last time, leaving another deep scar on his already battered heart?

Vincent winced, the familiar current of guilt racing through him and rising in intensity. That question bothered him most of all, he admitted. How could he do such a thing to his son yet again? They had only just met, only just learned of their relationship... and now Vincent had run from it.

Yes, he admitted, briefly closing his eyes against the shame, he had run. Seeing Sephiroth and knowing that he was his own son, a son whose mother he had loved more than anything yet could not save, stirred feelings inside of him he did not wish to face. He was not strong enough to deal with them yet, to deal with the memories they evoked, and now that the distraction of saving the Planet had passed for the moment, it was too much for him to bear. Instead of trying to find the strength, he had used Avalanche's three day break to run away to the only place he had found any form of solace since Lucrecia's death and hidden himself away.

He could lock his body away, he realized, but the feelings and memories had been locked inside with him, tightly wrapped around him in the small, confining space. He was trapped with them now, and there was no escape. He was aware that he could simply reach out and push back the lid to the coffin, then go to wait for the Highwind to return at the edge of town as planned, but could not find the strength or the courage to do so. He was afraid... afraid to take that first step toward dealing with his feelings, toward raising his heart from the dead.

In that moment of weakness and indecision, Vincent saw Lucrecia's face flash before his mind's eye, so clearly that he had to blink to be sure she was not real. She frowned at him, expression filled with sorrow and disappointment, her beautiful green eyes filled with tears behind her glasses. _Please... don't abandon our son... _her soft voice whispered in his ear, causing tears to fill his own eyes and blur his vision as he struggled to focus on her face, to see her one last time whether she was real or simply a figment of his imagination.

_Go and be with him... Go and live... _her voice continued to urge him, as if speaking directly into his heart. Vincent swallowed hard, trying to find his own voice, wanting to tell her so many things, but found he could not make a sound, his emotions choking off the words before he could form them.

"Lucrecia?" he finally managed to whisper, his voice quiet and echoing inside his wooden prison, his heart crying out to her in need and despair. There was no reply, however, and he swallowed hard, his heart racing as he fought back the tears of sorrow and grief that burned his eyes. She was gone, once more beyond his reach.. And he was alone again, so alone...

There was silence then, a long, aching silence that left him cold and shaken, as if she had died all over again before his eyes. For just a moment, Vincent was certain that he really had heard Lucrecia's voice, that she had honored him with her presence from beyond the grave, reaching out to him when he needed her most... When their _son_ needed him most. In that brief, precious moment, she had made her wishes very clear.

She did not want him to remain there, punishing himself and hiding from his feelings. She wanted him to leave this place for good, to move on with his life, to go and be with their son and watch over him. Although he knew it would be difficult, and was quite certain he could never truly live his life without her there at his side to give him strength, Vincent had never been able to say no to her, and he did not plan to start now.

Shakily, he reached up with his normal hand and shoved back the lid of the coffin until it fell over the edge and clattered noisily to the ground. He sat straight up in the coffin, legs still stretched out before him, and took a moment to wipe the remaining tears from his eyes. After a long look around the cold room, filled with the bodies and memories of so many dead, Vincent slowly climbed to his feet and stepped out of the coffin.

How long had he been in there? He could not recall as he turned and left the room, not allowing himself so much as a parting glance at his place of rest for fear his trembling resolve would crumble and send him again fleeing into the darkness and security it once provided his aching soul. But he would not let Lucrecia down, no matter what it cost him. For her, he would do this... and for their son.

It was the middle of the night, he realized after walking down the long corridor of the mansion's basement and silently climbing the winding stone stairs to reach the first floor. Moonlight shone in through the many windows, casting shadows all about and illuminating the many cobwebs strewn about the place, and the black sky was filled with countless twinkling stars. It was a beautiful night, the kind she had loved so much... As Vincent paused by one of the windows, the pane covered in many years worth of dirt and dust, a ghost of a smile crossed his lips as he peered outside. For just a moment, he felt as if she had given him this night, chosen it to come to him and give him the strength he needed to move on. Someone had to watch after their son and his wife, after all... And as he had promised her so many years before, if she could not be there to do so, he certainly would do the best he could in her place.

Still feeling shaken and a bit frightened about what the future would hold for him now that he had resolved to return to the others, Vincent stepped out of the creaking mansion and into the cool, quiet night, an odd peace descending upon him and increasing with each step he took farther away from the dark mansion looming behind him. Such a terrible place of so many memories... He paused, the urge to destroy it briefly filling his mind. But after a moment, he simply shook his head and went on his way, drowning out the angry, violent urges of Chaos stirring within him and heading to the edge of town to wait out the remainder of his time. No... despite the many bad memories the Shin-ra Mansion held for him, it also held many memories of her... and such memories were too precious to lose or destroy.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Red XIII raced up the dirt road leading to Cosmo Canyon and into the town, a wide grin on his feline face and an excited spring in his step. He was home, home at last, and he had wonderful news to share with the elders. And best of all, he would get to see his Grandfather again, to share his many adventures with his only living relative, albeit an adopted one, before returning to Avalanche. Red began to head for the tall flight of stairs that would eventually lead to the very top of the town, the observatory he and Bugenhagen had long called home, still beaming and running toward his goal with excitement and joy.

"Nanaki!" a voice suddenly called from behind as he reached the base of the steps and began to climb, causing him to halt despite his excitement and turn to face the man who had addressed him. When he did so, he found one of the town elders there, looking up at him with somber eyes. Instantly, a feeling of dread gripped his stomach and turned it in knots, the man's expression sending alarm coursing through him when moments before there had been only elation. Something was very wrong, he knew immediately, his smile vanishing as he studied the elder's expression. Something was _dreadfully _wrong...

"What is it?" he asked, hating how quiet and frightened his voice sounded, so much like that of a child. "What is wrong?" he asked, still staring at the elder with his one remaining eye, his heart pounding in his ears as he remained perched on the stairs. What could have happened? They had saved the Planet, after all. Everything was supposed to be all right now...

"Nanaki..." the elder repeated, sighing heavily and briefly glancing down at his feet before lifting his head to look at him again. "I am glad you have returned safely, and the Planet seems to finally be at peace. But I regret that I have some bad news for you..."

"What is it?" Red asked again, growing more anxious as he watched the nervous way the elder wrung his hands before him, as if he had to say something he strongly wished he did not. "Did... did something happen while I was away?"

"Yes, I am afraid so..." the elder trailed off, visibly swallowing hard to strengthen his resolve. "Nanaki, I'm very sorry. Shortly after you last left home... Bugenhagen... your Grandfather... he..."

"No..." Red whispered, one eye widening, his heart freezing in his chest. Surely he could not mean... That was impossible! "No, he could not have-"

The elder nodded sadly, quietly interrupting his protest. "Yes... I'm so sorry, Nanaki, but it's true. Bugenhagen has passed away."

There was a heavy silence in the air as he spoke those words, as if death itself had come to deliver the news. Red could only stare at the elder in a stunned, horrified silence for long moments, before what he had said finally sunk in. It was true... his worst fear had come to life, at a time when he felt more joyful than he had in many years. Red threw his head back and howled, an agonizing sound filled with grief and sorrow, sending it echoing off the high stone walls of the canyon and through the town, a sound of mourning that repeated over and over again until it finally grew weak and faint and faded away, leaving behind only the smothering silence of death once more. A moment later, Red got control of himself and lowered his head to the ground, tears trickling from his remaining eye despite his efforts to act like an adult and hold back the intense emotions he was feelings.

"Grandfather... no..." he whispered, still unable to believe that the lively old man could really be gone. Bugenhagen was all he had, and without him, Red was entirely without family and alone in the world, the very last of his kind without even his adopted Grandfather to love and care for him.

"I'm so sorry..." the elder repeated again, shaking his head sadly, his own eyes a bit tearful. Bugenhagen had been an important, beloved member of the town for many decades, after all, and his passing had surely touched anyone who had ever known him.

"We would have told you sooner, but we didn't know how to get in contact with you."

Red said nothing, turning to gaze up the tall stairway, his eye settling on the observatory high above. That his Grandfather was not there awaiting his arrival, researching some complicated theory or other, was unthinkable. Red swallowed hard, tears still falling despite his attempts to stop them.

"It is all right, I understand," he said quietly, trying to stop his entire body from trembling. "I just... did not expect... He seemed _fine_ last time we spoke. I cannot believe..."

"He was an old man, Nanaki," the elder comforted, taking a step forward and reaching out to comfortingly pat his head, much as Bugenhagen always had when he was upset about something. "He went peacefully in his sleep, and he did not suffer. It was simply his time to go, and I believe he knew and accepted that."

"That is good to know," Red whispered, though in truth it made him feel no better, and no less alone. Suddenly, the entire town felt empty to him, the air he breathed thick and heavy with grief and loneliness. He felt very alien in that moment, as if he no longer belonged there, the last of his connections ripped away.

"He left you something in an envelope," the elder said, interrupting his thoughts and following Red's eyes up the tall hills of the town and to the observatory. "I think it's a letter. We left it where we found it, in your room, for when you returned."

"Thank you," Red said quietly, nodding his head slightly. "I will go and see..."

"The memorial service will be the morning after tomorrow, now that you've returned," the elder informed him somberly. "Again, I am very sorry, Nanaki... I know what he meant to you. You have my condolences... And if you need anything, just let me know."

Red swallowed hard and nodded. Red was not sure he could face the empty house for long enough to retrieve the letter, much less think of enduring a memorial service. Unable to speak, the grief rising up within him, Red suddenly turned and raced up the stairs in great, stretching bounds, tears still flowing down his face and into his thick red fur. Behind him, he heard the elder sigh, but was thankful that the man did not try to follow, though he never could have kept up such a pace. He was grateful to him, but wanted to be alone now... He ought to get used to it, he told himself, fighting off another howl of agony. He was going to be alone for the rest of his life.

Red did not stop running until he reached the very top of Cosmo Canyon, pausing outside the observatory as much to catch his breath as to resolve his courage. After taking a deep breath and briefly biting down on his lip with his sharp fangs, Red lifted a paw and shoved the door open, stepping inside the place he had lived almost all of his life with Bugenhagen, but suddenly not feeling very much at home.

The silence was overwhelming as he entered the main room of the building, the quiet, lurking presence of death still hanging over the place as if it still haunted every room. The silence made his ears ring, and Red almost turned and fled the building, unable to stand being there and knowing his Grandfather would never float out of the back room, never laugh or smile or pat his head, never tell him about his parents or his heritage again... With his death, Red had lost his very last connection to his parents and his own people, and the feeling of loneliness it left upon his shoulders was crushing.

Red forced himself to move one paw in front of the other despite his grief, his legs feeling like lead, until he reached his bedroom. And there, just as the elder had told him, was an envelope atop the night table, his name written across it in his Grandfather's familiar handwriting. His legs shaking with emotion, he forced himself to cross the room, taking the envelope between his paws and carefully tearing it open with his teeth. Bugenhagen's scent was still on the envelope and the single piece of neatly folded paper inside, and Red had to blink back tears before spreading the note out and beginning to read.

_Dearest Nanaki:_

_I am very sorry I will not get to say this to you in person, but I fear my time is near. I am an old man and have lived a full and exciting life, so do not grieve for me, my grandson. Instead, remember me and all the times we had together, and never forget the things I have taught you, especially with regards to your father. He was a great man and a true hero, which I'm sure you also are by the time you read this. I am very proud of you, Nanaki, and will always be looking over your shoulder as you live your life. You are young, and have already accomplished so much, but so long as Shin-ra exists, we both know the Planet can never be entirely safe. Please, Nanaki, do not let my passing break your spirit or weaken your resolve, but instead strengthen it and help to give you renewed purpose on your journey. Cosmo Canyon, and the entire Planet, are depending on you and your friends to stop Shin-ra for good. Someday, you will be the leader of this town, a great leader as your father was. I am very proud of you, and always will be, and I love you very much. Please know that you will never be truly alone, as I will always be with you in your memories and in your heart. And I know your friends on Avalanche care for you very much and are relying on you for your brilliance and strength in their mission. I am confident that you will be able to move on with your life even once my own has ended, and that you will do the right thing. I will never forget you, Nanaki, or all the joy you have brought to my life._

_Love always,_

_Grandfather_

There were tears streaming down Red's face again by the time he finished reading, but he blinked them away and neatly placed the letter back inside the envelop, knowing it was something he would carry with him and cherish for the rest of his days. As he reflected on the words, a small smile slowly crossed his feline features. It was as if his Grandfather had been right there with him as he read the letter, consoling him and giving him direction in his life even after death.

Bugenhagen was right, as always, Red realized, turning to leave the room with the envelop between his teeth. Shin-ra was still at large, and his town... and the entire Planet... were depending on he and Avalanche to stop them if anyone was to ever be truly safe. As much as losing Bugenhagen hurt him, and as alone as he felt, Red knew with certainty that he _had _to move on... had to return to Avalanche after the memorial despite his grief. It was what his Grandfather had wanted and expected of him, and what he knew in his heart was the right thing to do. Now was not the time to step down and give up, but instead only the beginning of an even larger, longer battle he knew he was destined to be a part of.

_I won't let you down, Grandfather. No matter what, I will stop Shin-ra... and I will make you and my parents proud of me._

Blinking back the rest of his tears, Red turned and bounded out of the observatory, letter still held firmly between his teeth, feeling a bit more prepared to deal with Bugenhagen's passing with his Grandfather's words of encouragement and love still echoing through his mind. He knew they always would, forever. He knew he had friends within Avalanche he could not let down, and also knew with certainly that his Grandfather was watching him from above, smiling proudly and preparing to watch over him throughout his journey and the rest of his existence.


	3. Phase Three: Apologies

_**Phase Three: Apologies**_

Cid Highwind found himself standing outside the door of his home in Rocket Town just before sunset, feeling like a complete idiot. There he was, possibly the world's greatest pilot and mechanic, one of the heroes who had just saved the entire god damn Planet, long time mayor of the town and a man who had never lacked self assurance, afraid to enter his own home!

What was wrong with him, he wondered, telling himself he was just going to finish his cigarette, then go on inside. But since when did he need to be outside to smoke? It was _his _house, and he'd smoke in it if he wanted to, dammit! But if that was so... What the hell was he waiting for?

Cid sighed, tossing away the butt of his cigarette and blowing the last of the smoke into the air. All this because of _her_! He was actually afraid of a woman! Ha! He smirked, the thought of it preposterous. Sure, he had always enjoyed women as much as the next guy, but he had never really _liked _one before. And he had been damn sure he didn't like the quiet, nervous Shera at all.

But all throughout his dangerous journey with Avalanche, whether it be in the middle of a heated battle or while lying quietly in bed at night, his thoughts had invariably returned to this house, and to her. To their past and how she had destroyed his dream of reaching space with her actions... which just so happened to save his life. To all the years he had let her live there while she was convinced she had to spend her life as his maid to make it up to him. And worst of all, to how he had treated her.

Cid frowned, disgusted by the images that filled his mind. _That_ was why he had come back here, he told himself, to right those wrongs and sort things out once and for all. To tell her to go, that she owed him no more and should return to her own life. That was all. Nothing more. _Maybe_ he'd let her know he didn't hate her, so she wouldn't feel so damn guilty all the time, but certainly not more than that. There _was_ no more than that! At least that was what he kept telling himself…

Pausing to take a breath, which felt far too much like an effort to gather his courage for Cid's liking, he finally reached out and turned the doorknob. Finding it to be unlocked, he shoved it open and stepped inside, quickly turning his head left then right, looking for Shera. When he didn't see her, he felt a rush of both relief and disappointment, but a moment later he heard footsteps hurrying down the hallway. Damn... there was no escape now. But why the hell would he need to escape from his own fucking house?

A moment later, as he remained standing awkwardly just inside the doorway, Shera appeared at the end of the hall, wearing her usual white apron over loose fitting gray pants and a slightly wrinkled blue button down shirt. Her hair was its usual wild mess, pulled into an unruly pony tail by a bandana he recalled having once used as a grease rag while working on the Tiny Bronco. Somehow, she still looked damn good to him, and he hastily pushed the surprising thought away.

When she saw him standing there in his pilot's jacket, spear in one hand and traveling gear slung over his shoulder, goggles and spare pack of cigarettes resting securely atop his head, her hazel eyes went wide behind her glasses, and she gasped, lifting a hand to her mouth in surprise.

"_Cid!_"she exclaimed in a squeak, her expression one of shock, joy, and nervousness all at once. "You're home!"

"No shit," he said flatly, trying to hide how much the sight of her made him want to grin like an idiot and run to her, throwing his arms around her never to let go.

_What the hell? I haven't even been drinking..._ _This is not good._

Shera stopped half way across the room, swallowing nervously as she briefly looked him over and tried to hide what she was doing by clearing her throat. "I'm... I'm glad you're okay! Oh, I _knew_ it had to be you who stopped Meteor, no matter what they're saying on the news! I was just... really worried about you."

Cid snorted, not about to stop and explain that he'd sort of had a lot of help with that.

"Just like you, worrying for no damn reason. I'm fine." He walked across the room, and instead of going to her as he had almost done moments before, his heart still pounding at the thought, he dropped his equipment there right on the floor and flopped into his favorite arm chair, kicking his booted feet up onto the coffee table and yawning lazily to cover his nerves.

"I'll get you some tea!" Shera exclaimed after several long, tense seconds, starting to scurry off into the kitchen. As she spoke those words, however, Cid found he suddenly felt ill. In fact, he felt like the biggest asshole in the world the more he thought about it. All those years of sitting on his lazy ass and making her get things for him... He swallowed his disgust and hastily bolted out of his seat, coughing in alarm as he watched her go.

"Shera, no! I don't want any god damn tea," he called after her, causing her to stop in surprise and turn to him with confusion written on her face, a face he had once never wanted to see again but now could not take his eyes away from.

"You... you don't?" she asked, tilting her head in concern. "But you _alway_s want tea... Are you feeling okay?"

"I... don't know," Cid said, hating the weak, pathetic tone in his voice as he sighed and looked down at his muddy boots, feeling another pang of guilt for having tracked the dirt through the house with him when he had once done it on purpose just to annoy her. He could feel her concerned gaze on him as he stood there, finally sighing and heading back to his chair in defeat. He fell back into its soft, familiar cushions, holding a hand to his head.

Shera had followed him and stood hovering a few feet away, still looking at him in alarm, her eyes wide.

"I'm fine," he mumbled, confused by his desire to comfort her. "Sit down..."

Shera sat instantly, and Cid cursed himself. Damn, she moved the instant he spoke, as if she was afraid of him or something. At one point in time, that had made him feel smug, powerful, in control. But now, it only made him feel dirty. He rubbed a hand across his eyes as she sat stiffly on the couch, watching him closely.

"Do... do you need anything? A drink, or a cold rag, or-"

"_No!_" Cid exclaimed, dropping his hand from his face and glaring at her. "Dammit, no, I don't want you to get me anything!"

Shera flinched, snapping her mouth shut and nervously folding her hands in her lap. He thought he saw her lower lip tremble and had to look away. "I... I'm sorry..." she whispered, and Cid wanted to hit himself, so hard that he would never recover. What had he _done _to her?

Once, she had been an intelligent, creative mechanic and aviator, a brilliant woman if not one who was a bit shy and unsure of herself, and a little clumsy. But now, she was a trembling, frightened mouse of a creature, one who seemed afraid to misspeak or take a wrong step in the house where she had lived for _years_, one who had allowed herself to become nothing more than a servant and an outlet for his verbal abuse and frustration.

And what had _he_ become? When they first met, Cid had been a somewhat wild, energetic young pilot who had loved his work as much as he loved a good party. And now, he was a man who felt far older than his thirty-two years, one with shattered dreams and a heavy heart, one who took out his anger on those around him. Especially the one he cared for most and who had done so much for him all these years. He had become a bully, an abusive, controlling, manipulative jerk who didn't deserve a woman like Shera. He had become _his father... _

Cid winced as if he had been slapped as that realization hit home, slamming into his heart like a knife. For as much as he had loathed his father for the way he degraded and abused his mother, as much as he hated the strict, controlling way he dominated their household, for all the times he had expressed his hatred for the man who fathered him and sworn he would sooner die than be anything like him... He had grown up terrified of his father, angry beyond words at the way he belittled his mother, furious at her for taking it, but helpless to do a thing about it. Eventually, he had simply left home at fifteen and never looked back, because living off whatever meager pay he could earn at odd jobs and sleeping in roach infested inns or out on in the wilderness was better than living inside the war zone that was his childhood home. And now... he had nearly recreated it.

Looking over at Shera, the way she sat cowering, visibly nervous, unable to look at him or speak, images of his mother flooded his mind. The way she had gone from a happy, vibrant young woman with her whole life ahead of her to a frightened, nervous shell of a person with no will of her own. All because of his father, the man she loved regardless with all her heart, as if she could not escape from her feelings for him or the grip of fear and control he had over her. And now, Cid was doing the very same thing, the thing he swore he would never, ever do, to the woman he cared about more than he ever thought possible. He had never laid a hand on Shera, but in some ways he feared his words had hurt her far worse than any physical blow ever could.

Now that he realized he had done what he had sworn he never would, Cid didn't know what to do about it, or if he could ever hope to undo the damage. But he did know, finally, why he had thought about her so much on his long journey, and why it mattered so much to him that he fix this mess before it got any worse, that he try to change before it was too late for both of them. Because _she_ mattered to him, more than he had ever wanted or been able to admit before. Maybe it was because he had never had a good example to learn from, or because he had never felt it before... but somewhere along the way, watching the way others he met felt for those they cared about, Cid had realized that he loved Shera.

It had disgusted him at first. Only fools believed in such ridiculous things, his father had always told him. Then it had terrified him. What was he going to do about it? What did those feelings say about who Cid Highwind really was? But the more he had tried to dismiss it and forget how he felt, the more he realized it was true. He loved Shera more than anything, and probably had for years without being smart enough to realize it. But how could you tell a woman you'd spent years verbally abusing and ordering around that you suddenly realized you were in love with her and wanted to spend your life with her?

"Cid?"

Shera's quiet, concerned voice brought him back to reality, and he finally managed to turn his head and look at her. He briefly met her eyes, filled with an odd warmth at the concern he found there, and quickly had to look away. When he hesitantly looked up again a moment later, to find her warm eyes still on him, an unfamiliar blush crept into his cheeks, and he cleared his throat rather sheepishly, feeling more nervous and shy than he ever had in his entire life.

"Shera, I..." he started awkwardly, hating the trace of fear he heard in his usually gruff, confident voice. "I, umm... need to talk to you about something."

There. He had said it. But now that he had gotten himself fully into this mess, he felt even more ill, his stomach tied in knots and his heart racing mercilessly in his chest.

"All right..." she said nervously, looking even more worried, as if she feared what he might have to say. "I'm listening."

"Okay, I..." Cid instantly cut himself off, fumbling for a cigarette and shakily lighting it before going on, taking a long drag to help calm his nerves. "While I was away... out there fighting with all those weirdoes I met... I did a lot of thinking and shit like that," he began, wishing for once that he was more articulate and eloquent with his words. But he was not a man used to sharing his feelings, and he realized this was the best he could do, especially when he was so nervous he was convinced he would fall over dead at any moment. Shera nodded, watching him intently, and he took a deep breath before forcing himself to continue.

"Fuck... Okay, umm. So I thought a lot," he went on, aware that his face was flaming red. "And... I, uh... decided I don't want you to live like my god damn maid any more."

Shera's eyes widened in horror. "Wh-what...? You... want me to... to leave?" she stammered, gaping at him as if the thought was terrifying.

Cid sighed, cursing himself for the way his statement sounded. "Shit, no, no!" he said quickly, shaking his head rapidly. "That isn't what I meant at all..."

"Then... then what...?" Shera nearly whispered, picking at the material of the couch. For once, instead of finding it annoying, the familiar nervous habit was endearing.

"I... shit, this is hard," Cid swore, pausing to take another drag of his cigarette. "I... want to say that I'm sorry," he continued, unable to look at her, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "So sorry..."

"For what?" she asked, stunned. "I'm the one who messed up your whole life because I was stu-"

"Dammit, _stop that!_" he interrupted, glaring at her, though all the anger he felt was directed at himself. "You didn't do anything wrong... You saved my worthless life is what you did, and I turned around and gave you years of hell for it. I'm an asshole, Shera, and I've treated you like shit..."

"I... no, you don't have to say that," Shera said, nervously reaching out across the few feet between them to lay her hand atop one of his.

"Yes I do," he said miserably, and when he looked up at her again, there was such open emotion on his face, such guilt and pain, that it took her breath away. "Because it's all true. I owe you my life, and I repaid you with _this_. I don't deserve to have you here..."

"But... but I _want _to be here," Shera said, her hand still covering his.

"Why? To listen to me yell and bitch and complain?" Cid snorted.

Shera shook her head. "No, because I... I care about you, Cid. I..." She quickly cut herself off, turning very red and looking down as tears filled her eyes.

"You shouldn't," he said seriously, completely disgusted with himself but determined to finally be honest no matter what the cost. "Dammit, Shera, I've turned into my fucking old man... And you know what? _I hate it!_" he exclaimed, filled with self loathing. "I hate what I've become and how I treated you. I had no right..."

"But I took away your dream," Shera whispered, a tear trailing down her cheek.

"I wouldn't have had any dream left if I'd gotten blown to pieces," Cid said, allowing himself a small, crooked grin. "I'm alive because of you... and while I was gone, I realized it's about time I started acting grateful."

Shera was looking at him as if he had grown a second head, and he couldn't help but laugh. "No, I didn't get brain damage while I was gone. But being out there in the world with so many different people, facing so many dangers and challenges... It makes you realize that not everyone has what you do, you know? Heh, and it's really fucking sad that it was that psycho Sephiroth and his dead, demon father who taught me my biggest lesson..."

"What's that?" Shera asked quietly, wiping away a tear before it could drip off of her chin.

"I... I learned that not everyone is as lucky to have someone like you around to take care of them," Cid said, his heart pounding so loudly he could barely hear his own voice. "And... that when you find someone special... that you really…" He paused, awkwardly clearing his throat. "…._care _about, you shouldn't waste any time, because you never know what might happen. And... shit... you should tell people how you feel about them before it's too late."

Shera was gaping at him by then, and he swallowed the lump in his throat with some effort. "Shera, I... know you probably hate my god damn guts after all the shit I put you through, but... I realized on this trip that I was wrong... and I'm sorry. I will never be such an asshole to you again... because I... love you."

The final two words of his rambling confession were barely audible, quiet and awkward after not having been spoken since he was a small boy smiling up at his mother. But this time, they meant far more, and simply voicing them left him exhausted. He sat staring down into his lap, finishing off the rest of his cigarette as he patiently awaited her rejection, trying to tell himself he had done the right thing and now he would deal with the consequences.

Finally, after several long minutes of deafening silence, he could stand it no longer, daring to lift his head and glance over at her. He found her still staring at him, tears streaming freely down her cheeks, her eyes wide with shock and... happiness?

"Oh, Cid..." she whispered, lifting a hand to her mouth in shock. "You... you do? Really...? I thought you… I didn't know... I thought you _hated_ me!" she exclaimed tearfully, visibly shaking by then. "I did what I did back then because I... I fell for you the moment I met you," she confessed, looking down in embarrassment. "I loved you, admired you, even though I knew you thought I was just a nuisance who got in the way... I couldn't just stand there and watch you die. All I've wanted all these years was to make it up to you, to make your life better even though I ended your dream. I hoped maybe one day you'd forgive me..."

"I have," Cid said quietly, sitting up in his chair and grinding out his cigarette butt. Then, on shaky legs, he rose from his chair and came to sit down beside her on the couch, draping one awkward arm around her shoulders. "I was too stupid to see what was right in front of my ugly face," he said, confused by his desire to comfort and hold her, thrilled beyond words when she rested her head on his shoulder and brought an arm up around his neck to hug him with all her strength.

"I still love you," Shera said, her voice muffled against him, her tears dampening his jacket. "Once I met you I didn't even want to look at anyone else."

"Must need your glasses checked," Cid grunted, unsure how else to handle the awkward, emotional situation. Shera lifted her head and smiled at him, however, giving him a bit more confidence that he hadn't yet made a complete fool of himself.

"Maybe... or my head examined," Shera said with a nervous laugh, grinning at the mock glare he wore in response. But the glare and the teasing quickly melted away as their eyes met, each of their deepest emotions finally clear to be seen. Cid slowly leaned over and gently kissed her lips, wrapping a tender arm around her to hold her close. He was shocked at how natural, how _right_, it felt as she shyly kissed him back, feeling as if his heart was melting in his chest. He had kissed his share of women in his life, but nothing had _ever _felt like this.

When they separated, looking at each other with awe, Cid found himself lifting a calloused hand to her cheek, softly resting it there as he looked in her eyes, now filled with tears of joy. "I love you," he said, more confidently than before, the words already easier to say. "Now, listen. In three days, I gotta go back out there with Avalanche. We've got unfinished business with Shin-ra to take care of."

"But Cid-"

He held up a hand, shaking his head. "I know... It's dangerous, and I'd like to be able to stay here longer so I can rest… and be with you. But... when we're finished, I'm coming back. That's a promise. And when I do..." he went on, his voice taking on a teasing, threatening tone, "I intend to make you my wife and spend the rest of my life driving you nuts apologizing."

"Cid," she nearly gasped, her arms still around him, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Are you... are you _proposing_ to me...?"

"You're damn right I am!" he exclaimed with a smirk, trying his best to hide the nervousness that was threatening to tear his insides apart. A man who had once vowed that only sissies fell in love and got married, and that he would be free to play the field and go where he pleased all his life, Cid found at that moment, he wanted nothing more to stay in one place with Shera until he was a very old man.

"Then I'll be waiting," she whispered, reaching up to kiss him again. Cid closed his eyes and held her tight, his once-cold heart swelling with love and elation, his conscience clear, his soul finally at peace.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Yuffie stood outside the wide, double doors of her home in Wutai, swallowing hard and trying to hold on to her usual boastful energy and lack of fear. A few weeks ago, she was certain she would never return to this place or face her estranged father again. But when they had all been given the chance to take a three day 'vacation' in the place of their choice, Yuffie had known instantly that this was where she had to go. As much anger and hurt as there was between she and this place, and most intensely between she and her father, she realized that her homecoming was inevitable. There was too much unfinished business to be taken care of, and Yuffie did not intend to back down until things were settled.

That didn't mean she wasn't nervous, though.

Yuffie frowned as she reached out and took the cold, metal doorknob in one small hand, annoyed with herself for worrying so much and allowing a brief chill to race up her spine. Sure, she had run away from home... _again_. Sure, she and her father had never had a good relationship, and a strong tension had run between them for many years, ever since her mother had died when she was small. And sure, she had insulted his ruling style and their country to his face and been disrespectful for a very long time... But that didn't mean this visit home had to be unpleasant, did it?

Why was it she had felt so compelled to come home now, she wondered as she silently pushed open the door and stepped into the wide, marble entrance hall. Looking around, she found it empty, but could hear the sound of a television coming from the main living area just down the hall. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was just before five in the evening, the time when her father would be sitting and watching the news while their staff prepared the evening meal. Swallowing hard, she turned and forced herself to walk the long, narrow hall, filled with both an odd excitement and a near overwhelming sense of foreboding.

Sure enough, at the end of the hall, she peered into the living room and saw the back of her father's head, the bald spot there a bit larger than she remembered, as he sat on the couch facing the television. Yuffie hated that couch, a foreign object invading their otherwise traditional home, and frowned at the mere sight. A newscaster on the Shin-ra-controlled channel was talking about Meteor, she realized a moment later, standing quietly in the doorway to listen, not yet ready to alert her father to her presence.

"Thanks to the quick actions of the Shin-ra Research and Science Departments, and to the brave members of SOLDIER, the threat of Meteor was averted before any damage could be done," the stiff, perfectly dressed anchor woman was saying with a wide grin plastered on her face, her expression obviously painted on as thickly as her make-up. "We all owe our ever lasting gratitude, and our lives, to Shin-ra Incorporated."

"_WHAT?_" Yuffie heard herself exclaiming before she could stop, stepping fully into the room. She clamped a hand over her mouth a second later as Godo bolted from his seat, turning to face her in his long, golden robe, his expression one of surprise and alarm until he saw who was standing there glaring at him, at which time his gaze hardened with anger.

"Yuffie!" he exclaimed, his dark eyes as wide as humanly possible, his thin, neat mustache twitching as he stared at her. "What are you doing here? You are not welcomed..." he went on in his heavily accented, Universal dialect, the language used by Shin-ra and now spread throughout most of the world, something which caused Yuffie to frown more severely at his hurtful words than she normally would have.

"What's wrong, you forgot how to even speak Wutain now?" she said in their native tongue, missing her first, true language after so much time away from home. She was nearly without an accent when she spoke Universal these days, something that bothered her more than it should have.

"No, I did _not_ forget," he father said angrily, switching to Wutain as well as if he felt the need to prove it. "And I see you are still a rude little brat as well!"

"And you're still a Shin-ra ass-kissing _coward!_" Yuffie exclaimed, folding her arms. She watched as Godo's eyes widened again and his mouth turned down in an expression she knew all too well... An expression of rage.

"_You little!_" he exclaimed, lifting a hand and running forward, intent on catching and striking her for her disrespect. Yuffie let out a surprised yelp and turned quickly, running down the hallway before he could catch her. She heard him thudding after her and turned to yell over her shoulder.

"You can't beat the Shin-ra, so you're gonna beat on a girl, right?" she exclaimed, the battle and chase so familiar to her by now that she was not truly frightened by what would happen if he caught her. She had long ago learned to tune out the moderate beatings from her ill-tempered father, pretending she was elsewhere and often laughing in his face as he struck her just because she knew it really pissed him off. But that didn't mean she wouldn't try to get away and avoid it if she could.

"Get out of my house!" Godo bellowed breathlessly, only half way down the hall as she stood, smirking, in the entranceway. He was getting old, she thought, and a bit heavy as well. _From sitting on his ass on that couch watching TV all day... _

"It's _my_ house, too!" Yuffie said, sticking out her tongue. "Mom's father paid for half of it, didn't he?" she smirked, knowing this was a sure way to get him even more angry. She liked to remind him that he was _not_ her only parent, and that the one she would have preferred to have with her was the one who had been taken from her at such a young age.

"How do you know that? That is not your business!"

"I know _lots_ of things you don't know!" she exclaimed, glaring as each of them held their ground. "Like the truth about Shin-ra and who _really_ stopped Meteor!"

Godo frowned, some of the anger vanishing from his expression as he tilted his head slightly, looking at her suspiciously. "Oh, really? And how does a smart-mouthed child come to know such things?"

"Maybe because she was _there!_" Yuffie exclaimed, her smirk widening. "My friends and I have been out there fighting Shin-ra to help people and save the Planet from their pollution and evil! _Shin-ra _is the reason Meteor was summoned to begin with, and _Avalanche_ stopped it, not them!"

"Avalanche? That ridiculous group of rebels you ran off with?" Godo asked with a snort, unconvinced. "You should not tell lies... it is dishonorable."

"So is sitting on your ass while an evil foreign power controls your country and destroys its culture!" Yuffie shouted. "At least I had the guts to stop hiding, see the truth, and try to _do _something about it!"

"You _dare_ call me a coward?" Godo asked, his voice a cold whisper.

"You're damn right I do!" Yuffie said, her eyes flashing with contempt. "I _hate_ what you've let Wutai become! I hate that it's my family name that will always be linked to the fall of our empire! And I hate _you!_" Eyes filled with tears, Yuffie reached into her pockets and pulled out two large handfuls of small, circular and shining objects, dropping them on the floor before her father could react and come after her again. "So I'm a liar? Then where did I get all this mastered materia from?" she shouted, watching the magical items spread across the hall like spilled marbles.

Godo's eyes widened, and he took a step forward, bending down to take several of the materia in hand. "Yuffie... You did not steal these, did you? How many times must I tell you-"

"I didn't steal them!" she exclaimed, glaring, offended by the accusation. "I _earned_ them! I either found them or bought them with the money I won in battles! And I mastered them all myself!"

"But... there is enough here to equip a small army," Godo said, the anger gone, his eyes wide with wonder. Suddenly, he was no longer a furious father, but an experienced old war general, one whose mind was racing with possibilities.

"Yup," Yuffie said, still keeping her distance, watching with her arms folded. "And it only took me a few months! The rest of Avalanche has even more than this."

"Really?" Godo asked, looking up at her in awe and surprise, still turning the small objects over in his hands. "That much? All mastered? Summons, too?"

"Yup," Yuffie said again, nodding. "And we got it all by ourselves. A team from different lives and different places, working together for the same reason. They proved to me that big things can be done by small groups of people, and can even be done honestly without stealing or lying!"

Godo was silent for long moments, staring down at the materia she had produced, a thoughtful expression on his face. "You speak the truth... I can sense it. You really did help Avalanche stop Meteor with these materia."

"Yeah..." Yuffie replied, this time much more quietly. "I started out joining them just because I didn't have anywhere else to go. I was... afraid to come home again after the last fight we had," she admitted in a small voice, feeling her cheeks blush. "And when I saw all the materia they had, I got greedy and tried to steal it, but they caught me... and I realized I was wrong. We're a team and they have the same goal as I do... to bring down Shin-ra!"

"But the Shin-ra have allowed our country to continue to exist, largely free of occupation," Godo said, sensing the start of the same argument they'd had before she'd last fled the house. "They defeated us in a war, Yuffie... They could have destroyed us, killed us all..."

"They _did_ destroy us," Yuffie said bitterly. "Whether you admit it or not, they control you. They make your decisions for you. And they've nearly destroyed our culture! We're not an empire of proud warriors any more, with our own language and customs... We're a glorified _tourist attraction_! Whatever you decide, I'm not going to stand for it any more! And I know plenty of other Wutains feel the same."

"We are not ready for another war, Yuffie," Godo said wearily. "So much expense, so many lost lives and destroyed towns... I will not risk causing our people any more pain."

"If you only knew the pain Shin-ra causes innocent people ever day... if you'd heard the stories I've heard and seen what I saw out there," Yuffie went on, suddenly sounding much older, much wiser, than the angry, spiteful teenager she had arrived as only minutes before. "Then you'd know any sacrifice that gets rid of them is worth it."

"I will not fight a battle I cannot win," Godo said, shaking his head, growing frustrated.

"But what if you _could?_"

Those words hung between them for long, tense moments of silence, before Godo finally sighed and took the bait a bit reluctantly. "How is that possible?" he asked, shaking his head. "Deep in my heart, you know that I do not like this situation any more than you do. I, too, long for our country to be free and our culture to thrive once more. But I realize a hopeless situation that will only bring more death as well..."

"Avalanche, Dad," Yuffie said, a small smile crossing her face. "In three days, I'm going back with them. And we're going to work on a plan to bring down Shin-ra once and for all."

"Yuffie... that is dangerous, my child. I cannot allow-"

"I'm not asking permission, Dad... I'm _telling_ you. I'm almost an adult now. I turned seventeen last week if you forgot..."

"I did _not_ forget..."

"Good. But I _have_ to do this. I'm part of a team now. And I know we can defeat Shin-ra together!"

"I wish that could be true, Yuffie. I long to have things as they once were, I wish I did not have to go down in history as the Emperor who destroyed our country..."

"You don't!" Yuffie exclaimed, growing more enthusiastic, fidgeting with excitement as she went on. "All you have to do is start quietly making plans with your most trusted contacts and friends. Start gathering weapons and materia again, start training a small, secret army... And just wait. Soon, Avalanche will make our move, and you'll have your chance to rise up!"

Godo sighed doubtfully, unconvinced, a man beaten down so long ago that he had perhaps forgotten how to fight back and stand up for even the thing that was most precious to him in all the world... his daughter.

"Come _on_, Dad!" Yuffie went on, coming a bit closer, urging him on with her plans. "If we hurt them enough or distract them enough, you'll have your chance to get our country back! And with Avalanche on your side, this time, you'll _keep_ it."

A ghost of a smile crossed Godo's stern face at the image her words brought to mind, that of a victory parade as his army returned from war... this time, victorious. "How I would love that..." he said almost breathlessly, a look of longing in his eyes.

"Then just promise me that if the opportunity comes, and it looks like you have a real chance... you'll take it," Yuffie said, her eyes nearly pleading with him. A free Wutai like the one she had known as a small child, before her mother had gotten sick and died, was her dream, and the very promise she had made to her mother at her grave so many years before. She knew it would have broken her mother's heart to have lived to the end of the war and seen the result, and the thought of it was what had so intensely fueled her fury over their defeat and her rage at her father for accepting it and giving up the fight. Tears filled her eyes as, slowly, her father nodded his head, a small smile crossing his thin lips.

"I promise, my daughter," he said quietly, reaching out suddenly to embrace her. "I love you and want you to be proud of me again, to be proud to be Wutain," he said as she returned the embrace, awkwardly at first and then more tightly, sniffling against his robes and throwing her arms around his neck. "You are so much like your mother... And I am proud of you."

"I love you, too, Dad," she said, her voice muffled against him as they held each other, each all the other had left in the world. "And I'm sorry I've been such a jerk..."

"As am I," he said, smiling at the look of shock on Yuffie's face when she lifted her head to look at him. An apology from Lord Godo was unheard of, especially to her. "I have not been the best ruler, or the best father. I have tried, but..."

"I think you did just fine," Yuffie said tearfully, hastily stepping out of the embrace and swiping at her tears in embarrassment. "You raised _me_, after all!" she said with a grin, fighting to win back her confidence and facade of self assurance.

Godo chuckled at that, placing a warm hand on her shoulder. "Come, Yuffie... Dinner should be ready soon. I believe we have much to talk about these next few days."

Yuffie grinned and nodded at that, gratefully turning to walk down the hallway toward the dining room at her father's side. The thought of real food, and _Wutain_ food at that, made her stomach growl and her heart soar as the last of her homesickness was cast away. And finally, it seemed that she and her father may be able to cross the long, cold distance between them after all... and maybe even bring about the rebirth of their beloved country in the process.


	4. Phase Four: Unity

_**Phase Four: Unity**_

Cloud sat looking out the window of the hotel room he had rented in Icicle Inn, watching small, sparkling flakes of snow fall from the sky as the sun rose in the distance. A new, lighter dusting of snow had already fallen over the frozen ground during the night, and Cloud found that watching the quiet storm helped him think.

Today was the day that Avalanche, whatever would be left of it following their three day break, would regroup aboard the Highwind. Cloud's expression was grim as he watched several small, delicate flakes collide with the window pane and melt on contact, sending thin trails of water dripping down the cold glass until it dripped from the windowsill, perhaps to add to the icicles already hanging there. Would _anyone_ come back, he wondered, or would his team simply melt away like so many snowflakes in a storm?

He sighed, gazing out at the horizon as the sky slowly turned orange, painted by the rising sun, causing the snow on the ground to sparkle like fine crystal. It was a beautiful morning, but Cloud was still filled with worry and a sense of foreboding. What would he do if no one returned? he asked himself for the hundredth time, still not certain of the answer. Would he give up? Retire somewhere and simply let Shin-ra win? Although the thought of fading into the background of the Planet to live a peaceful life was appealing at times like this, Cloud knew it was not something he could ever do so long as their biggest enemy continued to threaten the Planet and interfere in the lives of so many innocent people like they had in his own. But he could hardly fight the war on his own, he knew, and like it or not, he needed his team back, each and every one of them...

"Cloud?"

He actually jumped at the sound of the sleepy voice, blushing a bit a moment later for having forgotten he was not alone in the small room. He still hadn't gotten used to that. He turned his head and could not help but smile as he looked over at the large bed in the center of the room, where Tifa had just awakened. She sat tangled amidst the three thick blankets they had thrown across it to combat the cold of Icicle Inn, sleepily rubbing at her eyes as she looked his way, long hair wild and hanging into her face. Cloud grinned at the sight, unable to help but think how cute she looked, wishing at that moment that he had stayed in bed with her instead of going to the window to think and brood.

"Good morning," he said, remaining seated, a thick blue robe tied tightly around him, his feet bare on the cold, wooden floor.

"Is it still snowing?" she asked after a yawn, throwing back the covers a moment later and pulling on her own complimentary hotel robe.

"Yeah, a little," he told her, nodding back to the window. He heard her footsteps on the floor a moment later as she padded barefoot across the room, coming to a stop behind the armchair in which he sat. She leaned against the back of the chair and draped her arms around his neck and down onto his chest, gazing out the window over his shoulder to see for herself.

"Wow... It's so pretty. I missed snow living in Sector 7... All we ever got by the time the Plate blocked most of it was a half-melted black sludge."

Cloud nodded wordlessly, hating himself for still feeling so shy around her, as if he was afraid he'd say something wrong even now that would take her away from him. Tifa did not seem to mind, however, leaning around him to kiss his cheek, still draped over his shoulders.

"You're worrying about today, aren't you?" she asked knowingly, their years of friendship always providing her with the advantage when it came to his thoughts.

"I guess," admitted, though he hadn't wanted to admit that what he was doing was actual worrying. He had been telling himself he was simply thinking things through, planning for all possible options. But he was only fooling himself, admitting she was right with a heavy sigh. He _was_ worried. He was their leader, after all, and if they didn't come back... He had failed.

"You don't think everyone will be at their pick up spots?" she asked, gazing down at him with warm, brown eyes, the concern in them unmistakable as they met his blue ones, glowing with Mako energy in the dim lighting.

"I... don't know. I mean, I know Cid and Barret will be back," he said awkwardly, briefly distracted from his troubled thoughts by her warmth and closeness. "But the others..."

"I think you'll be surprised," Tifa said with an easy confidence, something he had long envied. "Everyone came this far, after all."

"But now that they had time to go back to what they were missing, think things through..."

"Yeah... I guess it _is_ tempting to consider giving up on Avalanche," Tifa said, winning a surprised glance from Cloud as he lifted his head to look up at her. "Oh, come on... Don't tell me that you haven't at least considered what it would be like?"

Cloud's cheeks turned a bit pink. "Well, yeah..." he gave in, unable to hold back anything from her since they had admitted to their true feelings. "When we were in the town hall waiting to be married, I kept thinking about how it would be if... we were different people with a normal life. You know, settle down in a nice house in the woods, have a family someday. But then I realized, if that were the case..." He paused, frowning as he tried to think of the words to express how he felt.

"We wouldn't be us any more?"

Cloud smiled. "Yeah. Exactly." It continued to amaze him, the way she could always put how he was feeling into words when even he couldn't seem to. It was just one more thing in a very long and growing list that he loved about her.

"Well..." Tifa said, finally straightening up and coming around to stand in front of him, arms folded thoughtfully over her chest. "Maybe the others feel the same way. Maybe this has become as much a part of their lives and their identities as it has for us."

"I hope so. Because if they don't come back, we're scr-"

"Let's not worry about that unless it happens," Tifa interrupted with a small smile. "Honestly, Cloud, you're going to have an ulcer by the time you're twenty-five."

"It's this team's fault," he mumbled, but he was smiling now, too. She sounded like his mother.

"We've got a few hours until Cid will be coming to pick us up," Tifa said, reaching out to take his hand, their matching wedding bands glistening in the sun as she pulled him to his feet. "Why don't we get dressed and go enjoy the last few hours of our honeymoon?"

"Get dressed? ….What for?" Cloud asked with a sly grin, surprised at himself even as he spoke the words. To his relief, Tifa burst out laughing, stepping forward into his arms and leaning in to kiss him tenderly on the lips.

"You see... That's why you're our leader."

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Cid Highwind was feeling good at he stood on the bridge of his airship, leaving the piloting to his two young trainees, Paul and Varon, for the moment. He grinned a bit to himself as he blew a ring of smoke from his cigarette into the racing air as they neatly cut through it at high speeds, heading for Icicle Inn. His three-day break back home in Rocket Town had been relaxing... much _more_ than relaxing... and now he was ready to get back to business.

It was so much easier to concentrate on what lay ahead for the team now that he had been honest with himself, and with Shera. But at the same time, it was much, much harder. Most of the guilt and confusion that had been invading his every waking hour was gone now, lifted away by his apology and confession to the woman he had loved for years without realizing it, much less being able to admit it to her. He still felt indebted to her, and wasn't sure he'd ever stop feeling bad about the way he'd treated her for so long, but she had forgiven him, and revealed that she felt the same way for him. And while Cid was elated and happier than he'd ever been in his life, he now felt burdened and guilty in a different way.

Now, after the best three days of his life, he'd had to leave her behind and return to his mission. He had promised her that, as soon as Shin-ra was dealt with, he would return for her, intending to marry her and spend the rest of his life making everything up to her in a big way. But it still hurt her to see him go, just as it had hurt him to have to say goodbye. It was so hard to stop thinking about her, just like before, though now his feelings were much more settled and no longer frightening and painful. Now, he simply missed her, and couldn't wait to be back in her arms again. But first things first... Once Shin-ra was defeated, they'd have the rest of their lives together to make up for lost time. He was only thirty-two, after all.

Cid smirked to himself, no longer feeling like a defeated old man, but instead like a young kid in love with his whole future laying out wide open before him. It was an incredible feeling, and he hadn't felt so free in years. Imagine that, getting engaged and managing to feel _less _trapped and imprisoned than before! Cid never would have thought it possible... But then, he never would have thought a lot of things he'd done lately possible, either.

"How much longer, boys?" he called over his shoulder, pleased that he no longer had to watch every little thing the young pilots did for fear of running into the side of a mountain.

"Our ETA is twenty-two minutes, Captain!" Paul called out confidently after a quick check of the instrument panel.

"Weather at Icicle Inn?"

"Light snow, 17 degrees, with a ten mile per hour wind out of the Northeast," Varon said without hesitating. "Visibility is good, and landing or hovering for pick up shouldn't be a problem."

"Good, good... Well, you fellows know what to do. I'll be in my cabin."

With that, Cid turned and left the bridge, heading down a short flight of stairs and a narrow hallway to the deck toward the crew quarters, five small, single suites on each side of the corridor. Cid entered the largest room at the very end of the hall, the Captain's Quarters, and flopped down on his bed with a sigh. A smile crossed his lips as he stared up at the ceiling, picturing Shera's face in his mind, knowing that he wasn't just battling against Shin-ra and fighting for his dream any longer... He was fighting to go home to her now, too.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx _

An hour later, Cloud and Tifa were standing on the bridge of the Highwind with Cid in a small huddle, discussing the plans for the rest of the day as if they hadn't missed a beat. Tifa had immediately noted upon boarding that Cid seemed much more relaxed, almost giddy as he spoke, and had a sneaking suspicion that she knew why. She didn't say anything, though, not even when he had teased she and Cloud about their small wedding and far-too-short honeymoon. He was doing them a great favor simply by remaining with the team and continuing to allow them to use his airship, after all, and she didn't want to embarrass him. But sooner or later, she knew _someone_ was going to make mention of the fact, and was rather looking forward to seeing Cid's reaction.

"We're about to pass over Elmyra's house at the edge of Sector 6 now," Cid said with a glance over the guard rail, cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. "Think they'll be waiting?"

"I'm not sure," Tifa said honestly, also peering over the side at the ground far below. "I _think_ so..."

"Maybe the question is, do we _want_ them both to be there?" Cloud said quietly, the old anger and tension creeping into his tone as he undoubtedly thought of Sephiroth, his one time hero and most hated enemy, a man who had married the sweet, innocent girl Cloud thought of as a sister and close friend.

"Like him or not, Sephiroth is one hell of a powerhouse to have on our side," Cid said in reply. "And don't forget all his experience and inside knowledge of Shin-ra..."

"Yeah, yeah," Cloud sighed, visibly trying to prepare himself for the reunion. "I know..."

"He and Aeris are a package deal now," Tifa added. "If we want her back, we'll have to accept him, too. I doubt either one of _us _would have let the other go on alone, after all."

Cloud was about to reply that their relationships were not even _close_ to being similar, but was interrupted by Varon before he could speak.

"We're here, Captain!" he called to Cid. "But I... don't see anyone down there."

The group moved to peer over the guard rail, Cid pulling out the rope ladder from its place between a few crates of supplies and tossing it over the side of the airship just in case. But sure enough, the ground below was vacant, not a soul in sight.

"Damn," Cloud swore, staring down at the silent house surrounded by so many beautiful gardens in the distance. "Looks like they decided not to come back after all..."

As annoyed as he had been at the thought of Sephiroth rejoining them just moments before, Cloud now looked disappointed, and a sick feeling of dread and doubt settled into the pit of his stomach. If Aeris was no longer willing to work with them, what were the chances of _anyone_ coming back?

"Maybe they just need more time?" Tifa asked a bit sadly, knowing she would certainly miss Aeris if not her husband. "I mean, they did just get married..."

"So did _we!_"

"I know, but-"

"Wait!" Cid suddenly called out, a lopsided grin crossing his face as he continued to look down at the house below. "There they are!"

When Cloud and Tifa turned to follow his gaze, they saw Sephiroth and Aeris exiting Elmyra's home, clearly carrying their travel packs and weapons. The two were holding hands, and while Aeris looked a bit torn and tearful, Sephiroth wore an expression of relief, as if he was escaping from prison after a long confinement.

"I guess they're coming after all," Tifa said with a faint smile, watching the odd couple as Elmyra followed them outside, still trying to figure out what had caused such opposite individuals to fall in love.

"Yeah, looks that way..." Now that he actually saw Sephiroth, still obviously content to be with Aeris, he no longer sounded relieved to have them back.

Tifa watched as Aeris briefly released Sephiroth's hand, then turned to hug Elmyra tightly, mother and daughter embracing for long moments which ended with each pulling away and wiping tears from her eyes. Then Elmyra glanced over at Sephiroth and said something they could not hear so high above the ground, her expression awkward and cautious, a small smile slowly crossing her features as she looked up at her new son-in-law. Sephiroth's expression changed from guarded to surprised at whatever she said to him, and Tifa was shocked to see that, a moment later, Elmyra reached out with open arms and embraced him, too. Aeris grinned so widely it looked as if her face might crack, again wiping tears from her eyes as Sephiroth lifted one arm and awkwardly hugged her mother. They quickly released each other, Sephiroth saying something else the others could not hear and nodding to Elmyra with a slight bow. He quickly took Aeris' hand protectively in his again, as if he was afraid she might vanish or be taken from him at any moment.

"Looks like things went well for them after all," Tifa said, still watching the scene below. "I know how worried Aeris was..."

"Heh... yeah," Cloud said tensely, happy for Aeris but still disgusted that their relationship was apparently permanent, and gaining more acceptance by the day.

Aeris gave her mother one last hug then, then waved as she and Sephiroth approached the ladder. He allowed her to go first, then slowly began to climb up behind her, keeping a close watch on his wife in case she needed his help.

A moment later, each of them stood on the Highwind's deck, Aeris quickly waving goodbye over the side as the ship sped off into the sky, heading for the Gold Saucer to pick up Barret. He had radioed to tell them Marlene was already safely on a cruise ship with her own personal nanny, to be guided back to Elmyra's house until he could return for her again. When the house was no longer in sight, Aeris turned to face her teammates with a wide grin, though she was still wiping tears from her eyes.

"Hi!" she exclaimed, rushing to hug everyone tightly, even the stunned Paul and Varon, both of whom blushed fiercely. "I missed you guys so much!"

"Hi, Aeris," Tifa grinned, unable to help but smile at the cheerful woman. "We missed you, too. I'm glad you decided to come back!"

"There was never any discussion about it otherwise," Aeris said, glancing back at her silent, stoic husband. "This is what we both wanted to do."

Cloud had already moved off across the bridge, hovering near Cid's pilots to avoid Sephiroth, making a show of looking busy. Tifa sighed when she noticed, then turned back to Aeris.

"So how was your break?" she asked. Someone had to try to keep the peace, after all. The team would never survive if the tension was simply allowed to continue growing, and Tifa felt that she was now strong enough to face Sephiroth and begin to at least _try_ to forgive him. She had so many wonderful things in her life now that hanging onto the past almost seemed silly, and she knew it would only eat her up inside. How she wished she could make Cloud see that someday, too...

"It was wonderful," Aeris said, grinning like a fool, blushing a bit. "We finally got to spend some real time together... and I got to see my Mom, too!" she added quickly, turning even more red. Behind her, Sephiroth coughed uncomfortably and looked out over the side of the ship. Tifa grinned, winking at Aeris when her husband wasn't looking.

"I understand completely. Cloud and I needed some time to ourselves, too."

"Oh! Congratulations on your wedding, by the way!" Aeris added, having known the two planned to marry on their break.

"Thanks!" Tifa exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear. "Wow, suddenly we're both married... I feel so old!"

Aeris giggled. "My Mom almost had a heart attack!"

"I can imagine!" Tifa laughed, wondering briefly what her own mother would have thought of Cloud with a pang of sorrow. "But you guys all got along okay?"

"It was... a little awkward at first, but I think Seph here grew on Mom," Aeris grinned, reaching over to affectionately touch his upper arm. With that, he returned his gaze to her, one corner of his mouth twitching in a possible smile.

"Like a fungus," he said flatly, causing Aeris to giggle.

"Oh, stop that... She hugged you down there and said she was happy I had you to look after me, didn't she?"

"Well, yes... but that does not mean she likes me."

Tifa was surprised at the worry and insecurity she briefly saw on Sephiroth's face, wondering just how much this man really had changed. Maybe he really _wasn't_ the same person who had destroyed Nibelheim. At that moment, he seemed almost free of his past sins and burdens, and somehow, that made her feel more free from his actions, too.

"In-laws are never supposed to be fun," Tifa said, addressing Sephiroth. "It's like a rule or something."

Sephiroth's eyes flashed with amusement. "I do not think it is fair that my father was instantly accepting of Aeris, yet I had to spend three very long days trying to convince her mother I am not an evil being sent from the pits of hell to corrupt her daughter. I shall have to think of a way to make things more even..."

Aeris playfully rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on... the three days weren't _that_ bad." When she met his eyes, the love and passion between the two was plainly visible, and Tifa felt suddenly very much out of place.

"No, I suppose not," he replied with a smirk, draping an arm over Aeris' shoulder as they stood together by the guard rail. "It had its good points."

Aeris grinned and stretched up to kiss him, and Tifa decided it was time to give them their space and go see how her own husband was doing. She crossed the bridge to find him, the Highwind growing closer to their next stop by the second.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Several hours later, the Highwind was much more crowded, the air bustling with excited greetings and plans for the future. Barret had been waiting at the Gold Saucer right on time, and hadn't stopped talking Cid's ear off about Marlene and the great time they'd had since. Cid was clearly uninterested, but trying his best to be polite. Barret didn't seem to notice as he followed the pilot around, chatting excitedly about how much his daughter had grown and how smart she was.

"Isn't dat so cute?!" Barret exclaimed, grinning proudly after telling a long story about something-or-other the girl had done that Cid hadn't heard a single word of.

"Uh-huh..." Cid mumbled, leaning over an instrument panel, pretending it was fascinating and deserved his full attention.

"She makes me so proud!" he gushed, grinning like a fool.

"Uh-huh..."

Across the bridge, a solemn Red XII sat in a patch of sun, watching the clouds in the bright blue sky streak past. He had informed the others of his grandfather's passing upon his return from Cosmo Canyon and received their condolences, assuring the team that he did indeed intend to go on with them, by Bugenhagen's wishes and in his honor. But the large feline creature was obviously still mourning the loss of his last remaining family member, and the others gave him his space while he dealt with his grief. When he was ready to talk about it, he knew he had many friends with Avalanche who would listen.

Yuffie was off talking excitedly to Cloud and Tifa about her time in Wutai and her discussion with her father, and both members of the couple looked intrigued and listened closely. It seemed that their youngest, often most troublesome member may just have pulled through for them in a big way, and the three had been discussing the possibilities ever since the young ninja had returned. She looked rather proud of herself and could hardly stand still, gesturing excitedly as she spoke so fast she was often hard to understand. Her youthful enthusiasm was something the team could use as well, and everyone was glad to have her back despite her frequent airsickness and occasional immaturity.

The Highwind reached Nibelheim a short time later, planning to pick up their remaining member last since he had been dropped off in that order, mostly due to his indecision over where to spend his break until the last minute. Paul soon alerted Cid and the others that they had reached the designated location, bringing the vast airship to a hover a short distance outside of the eerily reconstructed town. Both Tifa and Cloud made it a point not to look down at the mockery of their childhood home, focusing instead on the trees just outside the town border.

"So... where is he?" Yuffie asked after several minutes of tense silence, looking over the guard rail like most of her teammates and voicing the thought that had been in everyone's mind.

"The hell should I know?" Cid mumbled, his eyes still fixed on the ground below. "I ain't his keeper."

"Maybe he ain't comin' back," Barret said, winning a glare from Sephiroth. Aeris instantly reached out and took his hand in hers, realizing how much having Vincent around meant to him, even if he did not or simply could not admit it.

"Ahh, man," Yuffie said, sounding very disappointed. "Vinny was cool. It won't be the same without him..."

"It's his choice to make," Cloud said, though he, too, sounded a bit let down. "No one had to come back if they didn't want to."

"I hope he finds what he's looking for, then," Tifa said sadly, shaking her head.

Aeris nodded, sniffling away tears as she held onto Sephiroth, whose own expression remained cold. She had come to think of Vincent as family, perhaps even more so than Sephiroth did. But despite his brave front, there was obvious emotion in his eyes as he stared longingly at the ground below, as if willing his father to appear.

"Well... should we wait a little longer or get going?" Cid asked, taking a drag on his cigarette and trying to hide how much he'd miss Vincent, too. Sure, he gave the guy a hard time, and he was one weird dude, but he liked having him around, and he was a hell of a fighter. "It's quite a bit past the time he should have been expecting us."

"I guess go," Cloud said a bit reluctantly. "He's obviously made his decision."

"All right..." Cid said, turning to give Varon the signal to pull up. Sephiroth turned on his heel and marched away from the railing, retreating to a corner on the bridge with his back turned. Aeris frowned and hurried after him with concern, trying not to be upset herself so she could keep him calm.

Yuffie heaved a heavy sigh, and was about to retreat to a lower deck, and possibly a bathroom. But just as she did so something below caught her eye. Turning back to the railing, a wide grin crossed her face as a streak of red leaped out of one of the tall trees at the edge of town, the tall figure of a dark-haired man landing softly on the earth and calmly turning his blood red gaze to the sky above.

"_Wait!_"Yuffie called out in Wutaiin in her excitement, quickly correcting herself and repeating the word in Universal, everyone else's language. "Look!"

Cid, Barret, Cloud, and Tifa did as she said, each spotting the stoic, unmoving figure below staring up at them, metal claw gleaming in the sun, as if to ask where they thought they were going without him.

"It's Vinny!" Cid exclaimed, grinning. "Return to hovering, boys!" He threw down the ladder, watching with obvious relief as Vincent slowly approached it and began to climb.

Off in the corner, Aeris and Sephiroth had heard the announcement, and she excitedly dragged him back over to the guard rail despite his protests. A moment later, Vincent reached the top of the ladder and dropped soundlessly to the wooden deck of the bridge, calmly looking the others over with cold eyes and nodding his head slightly in greeting as if nothing had happened. He looked exhausted, as if he had not rested at all on his break. It was possible he was even more thin and frail in appearance than he had been before, his skin a sickly white and dark circles painted beneath his eyes. His cloak was held around him like a shield, hiding most of his face as if he wished to vanish inside it and avoid the stares directed his way. But he had returned, and that was all anyone cared about at the moment.

"Were you planning to leave me behind?" he said flatly, his voice as quiet as that of a ghost.

"We didn't _see _you!" Cid exclaimed, punching him playfully in the arm. Vincent absently gazed down at the spot where the pilot had hit him, but said nothing. "Why were you hiding?!"

"I wasn't. I was thinking."

Cid rolled his eyes and snorted. "Yeah, right."

"Welcome back," Cloud said with a polite nod, still unsure of Vincent but recognizing his incredible abilities and use to the team.

Vincent said nothing, silently walking through the still-gawking crowd and intending to head below deck, to get out of the sun and away from the others. His plans were thwarted by Aeris, however, the young girl running after him with a wide smile on her face, leaving Sephiroth to retreat again to the corner, staring off into the sky.

"Vincent!" she called after him, causing him to stop mid-step with a quiet sigh. Slowly, he turned to face her, his red eyes inquisitive and somewhat suspicious.

"Hi," she said a bit breathlessly, also looking a bit nervous. "Boy, did you give us a scare... I was so afraid you weren't coming back! And... so was Sephiroth."

"I... was not sure if I would for a time, but... I changed my mind," he said vaguely, looking as if his thoughts were elsewhere for a moment, his eyes haunted.

"He was really upset when we didn't see you," Aeris went on quietly, reaching out to touch his shoulder beneath his cloak when he appeared ready to attempt another retreat. "He missed you, and he needs you here. You're his father, after all..."

Vincent turned to study her for a moment, his mind clearly racing behind his guarded expression. Aeris could only wonder what he was thinking, and a moment later he sighed, nodding his head and looking a bit guilty.

"I apologize," he said awkwardly. "My intentions were not to cause anyone alarm."

"I know... but maybe if you came over to say hello to him?" Aeris asked hopefully, forcing a tense smile. She knew how much Vincent's acceptance and presence meant to her new husband, and she wanted so badly for him to be happy.

"I suppose..." Vincent said reluctantly after a pause, as if it was the last thing he really wanted to do. Aeris beamed, though, taking a hold of his arm and half-dragging him across the bridge to where Sephiroth stood, his back still turned.

"Hey, Seph," she said cheerfully, trying to calm the tension she could already feel in the air. "Look what I found."

Slowly, Sephiroth turned, passing his glowing green eyes first over Aeris, and then onto Vincent as she released his thin arm, leaving him to stand rigidly before his son. At first, Sephiroth was glaring, obviously still upset over having thought Vincent would not return, but slowly his expression faded into a softer one, and he inclined his head slightly instead of completely closing himself off as Aeris had feared.

"Hello," Sephiroth said awkwardly, as if speaking to a complete stranger and not his own father.

"Greetings," Vincent replied in the same manner, making Aeris nearly smack her head. These two had a lot to learn, and so far to go...

"I am... glad you returned," Sephiroth went on awkwardly, giving Aeris a spark of hope for them after all. But Vincent simply nodded, not doing anything to advance the conversation. Aeris wanted to shake him.

_Tell him you're glad, too! Tell him you missed him and thought about him! _Something_!_

Sephiroth lowered his gaze, clearly embarrassed when his father did not reply, and Aeris reached out to take his hand. She was proud of his efforts and glad to see that he wanted and needed his father around. If only he wasn't so awkward, and if only Vincent would loosen up instead of standing stiffly before them, expressionless, like the walking dead. Sephiroth needed his reassurance right then, but it didn't seem like something Vincent was capable of giving. These two were so similar it was killing her that they didn't see it, and now she was struck even more strongly by just how very much alike they looked.

"I'm glad, too," Aeris finally offered in order to break the silence, figuring _someone_ had to lead the way. "Now we can all work together to stop Shin-ra, and you two can spend more time together and get to know each other better."

"..."

Aeris sighed. Sephiroth shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Vincent blinked.

"Well, Cloud wants to talk to all of us together, so we better go see if he's ready," Aeris said, trying her best to keep the frustration out of her tone. Were they ever going to be able to hold a normal conversation, or should she just change her profession to dentist right now and get used to pulling teeth, she wondered dryly.

In response, Vincent and Sephiroth nodded stiffly in near identical fashion. Sighing again, wondering if this would ever work out but strengthening her resolve to see to it that it would, Aeris turned and crossed the bridge to where Cloud was gathering the others, the two silent, stubborn men trailing after her. If things had worked out between she and Sephiroth, after all, there was hope for anything.

_**The End**_

* * *

><p>((<strong>Author's Note: <strong>This story and the plotline of my AU is next continued in _Battlegrounds_. Go read it and stuff! Thanks for the reads and reviews! _~ JenesisX_))


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